Modern Art Explorer: Discover the Stories Behind Famous Artworks by Alice Harman

Modern Art Explorer: Discover the Stories Behind Famous Artworks Reviews

• 
  Paula

  Hey wouldn’t it be great if the thoughtful and engaging commentary in this book, the smart questions that prompt the reader to look and look again at the large reproductions of the art - were directed at a more diverse collection of art? I am a damn broken record on this I know, and at least this book includes more women (the likes of Goncharova, Meret Oppenheim, Sophie Tauber and Aurelie Nemours join usual suspects Kahlo and Nevelson) but the entire non European world is represented by El Anatsui, Anish Kapoor, and Atsuko Tanaka.
  It’s a really good collection, don’t get me wrong, but honestly I don’t think a child’s eventual experience of 20th century art would be handicapped by replacing Picasso, Pollack and Warhol with Nkanga, Xiuzhen, and Wa Lehulere. Just once.
• 
  Beth

  Love love love this book. Author has such intelligent questions / discussions with children about why artists do what they do and see things in such unique ways. Original, fresh and alive.
• 
  Kid Lit Reviews

  Children will find so much wonder in the short 96-pages. With homeschooling and Internet learning a part of many children’s daily school, a book like Modern Art Explorer is perfect for the art class. Kids can try getting into the artist’s “shoes” as they try to understand why the artist created what they did. Included, in addition to paintings (oil, acrylic, pastels, vinyl, gouache, and even spray paint), are sculptures made of bronze, thread, bamboo sticks, fiberglass, linens, metal, wood, and common objects like bottle caps, light bulbs, and bicycle parts. Kids will learn art can be anything they want it to be, made with whatever they have, and wherever they are (in creative ability or actual location). Henri Matisse created the above referenced work while confined to his bed.
  
  Will children age seven and up find interest in this 96-page art book? I think most will. The chosen artists are very interesting men (mainly), and women who created masterpieces by today’s standard. Anyone interested in art will find Modern Art Explorer a perfect muse in itself. Pursuing your own creative ideas, after perusing this book, seems to me a natural response. This art “collection” is impressive, by any standard. The author is a bit snarky, which makes Modern Art Explorer a fun experience. I think she is aiming for readers attention and she gets it.
  
  Those interested in art, or in being creative in any manner, will find Modern Art Explorer worth buying (at least worth checking out of the library–knowing it might return late). Author, Alice Harman, offers readers the story behind each piece of art and sometimes adds in why the artist created what he or she did. Harman takes her work seriously, but her good humor flows through-out the pages. The goal of Modern Art Explorer is multifaceted. 1. Help kids think about art in a critical manner; 2. Wonder how the art was made; possibly recreating the process they think the artist used (and why). The end goal of Modern Art Explorers is for children to have learned how to think critically and use this skill as a guide throughout their life. Critical thinking is not generally taught in middle school (or high school), so anything that teaches this is well worth the time and effort.
  
  Favorite Artist/Art
  
  There are two pieces I especially like: El Anatsui’s “Coat” and Marcel Duchamp’s “Bicycle Wheel.”
  
  El Anatsui used an unusual weave for his extra-large “Coat” (2004). Aluminum bottle caps were squashed flat then sewn together with thin copper wire “thread.” Made as a wall installation, the piece is large enough to easily cover a king-size bed. Whether made as a coat or for a bed, one must get past the scratchy aluminum caps and biting copper wire. (Nothing like waking up with copper-cuts all over your back.) Actually, the giant work is about history, culture, and modern life in Africa. Anatsui thinks artists should use the items “their environment throws up.” (Not sure if this trash talk means Africans drink a lot of soda or just seem to have the caps laying around.)
  
  When Marcel Duchamp made his “Bicycle Wheel” he wanted to show others that anyone could make art and anything could be art. Today, the bike wheel, connected upside down on a simple bar stool, is considered “one of the most important works of Modern art ever made.” (I’m not saying this, but someone important and in the know did.) I think it’s a fun piece, though am surprised it is now an expensive piece of modern art, given how many copies Duchamp made or authorized.
• 
  Erin Buhr

  An approachable book about art for kids. It takes modern art one piece at a time and introduces readers to the life and story behind the painting. It reads a little like a visit to an art museum with a kid friendly docent. Look at each painting, take in the materials used, and then learn the interesting story behind the work. The text is fairly in depth but the tone is conversational and light. A great book to share with kids to deepen art education or encourage young artists.
• 
  Barbara Band

  Children have little exposure to art and any book that helps to redress this can only be a good thing! Modern Art Explorer introduces children (age 7+) to 30 modern art works to be found in the Centre Pompidou. There's a description of how each artist created the painting or sculpture, some humorous facts and questions to get the reader to explore further. Prominence is given to the artwork and the text is broken up into sections with good use of bold fonts to add interest.
• 
  Adrianna

  A helpful guide for kids and teens learning how to look at modern art. I saw some critiques that the artists represented are not particularly diverse, and although I don't know much about Centre Pompidou's collection, I agree (and if this is representative of the museum's diversity, we have an entirely different problem).
• 
  Mateen Mahboubi

  A informative primer for younger audiences about some artists and a few modern art pieces. Nice that it includes lesser known pieces so that any adults reading along won't be bored by seeing the same art that we've seen for our whole lives. Nothing too in depth but accessible for the young audiences that it's intended for.
• 
  Rebecca

  Flipped through. Always glad to see more kids' books about modern/contemporary art. This one covers 30 artworks from the Centre Pompidou in Paris. It's got great photo quality and poses interesting questions.
• 
  Robin

  A guided introduction to modern art for kids, with stories behind the works, artists lives, and thinking points.
• 
  Y.Poston

  A very fun exploration of Modern Art...
  and very informative!
• 
  Crystal M

  3.5 stars but rounded down bc of how many times the author used the word “arty”.
  Light on the text and written for younger kids (1-3 grade).
• 
  Bill Landau

  Excellent! We’ll written for the intended audience.
• 
  Debra Golden

  good for children and elementary grade teachers
  fun explanations without dumb-ing it down
• 
  Beth

  A picture book for an older kid, challenging them to explore their reactions to modern art and see what artists do with it and how it challenges the viewer.