Collaborations: Relations--Confrontations

Richard Hamilton first made contact with Dieter Roth in 1961, having seen some of his books the previous year. From then until Roth's death in 1998, the two artists collaborated on numerous projects as well as developing a close friendship based on mutual admiration for each other's work.Their personalities and approaches to art were in many ways totally different, but this, no doubt, was part of the attraction. For Roth the collaborations were always a challenge, a fight—albeit friendly. Hamilton saw them as joyrides, full of surprises, in which he was carried along by Roth's "meticulous dexterity" and "creative energy." Their collaborations included The Copley Book, Collaborations of Ch. Rotham, Interfaces, and Intercases, which are among the pieces reproduced here in full color. 750 color illustrations.

Library Journal

His career spanned the entire second half of the 20th century, and his artistic output was astonishingly varied, yet German-born Swiss artist Dieter Roth is less well known than many artists of his generation. Often misunderstood as an anti-art satirist because he used unconventional materials, he sought expressive freedom rather than provocation. The first two gorgeously printed volumes of a three-volume catalogue raisonn (the third is scheduled for January 2004) will establish his place in the context of the art of the last century. With 750 color illustrations, Unique Pieces covers Roth's paintings, collages, drawings, assemblages, and over-painted photographs and includes two biographical/critical essays by Laszlo Glozer (modern art history, Hochschule f r Bildende K nste, Hamburg) and Dirk Dobke, curator of the Dieter Roth foundation. A CD-ROM provides a virtual tour of Roth's Schimmelmuseum (mold museum), not simply a museum housing approximately 2000 Roth pieces but an art installation in itself. Graphic Works, which contains 700 color illustrations, includes screen printing, relief printing, etching, and food pressings that Roth completed between 1947 and 1998. Dobke contributes an essay tracing the evolution of Roth's exceptionally diverse, inventive, and experimental graphic work. The text offers a section showing works Roth did in collaboration with other artists, a chronological index of Roth's print works, and a numbered, limited-edition print of Roth's A Bunch of Flowers. If anything negative can be said about this catalogue raisonn , it would be the sizable investment required to purchase all three volumes. The upcoming Museum of Modern Art, New York, catalog (Roth Time: The Art of Dieter Roth) might be a more accessible option for libraries on a budget. But for those libraries serving students of contemporary art, this set is highly recommended. One of Roth's many artistic collaborations was his almost 40-year involvement with British pop artist Hamilton, and it's fascinating to see the way each responded to the other's personality. If Collaborations: Relations-Confrontations lacks the biographical and critical scope of the catalogue raisonn , the pleasure here is in the opportunity to see intimately-through letters, interviews, writings, and reproductions of the artworks themselves-how these two very different creative personalities challenged each other. With 750 color illustrations, this is also recommended for contemporary art collections.-Michael Dashkin, PricewaterhouseCoopers, New York Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.