Books like New art city by Jed Perl

New Art City is an expansive, research‑based exploration of the artistic and cultural landscape of New York City during the mid‑twentieth century. Jed Perl, a respected art critic, guides readers through the city’s bohemian neighborhoods of downtown Manhattan and the newly emerging Midtown galleries that rose alongside soaring steel‑and‑glass skyscrapers. The book offers a kaleidoscopic array of artists—from legendary figures such as Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Andy Warhol to lesser‑known innovators like Hans Hofmann, Joan Mitchell, and Fairfield Porter—along with the writers, critics, patrons, and enthusiasts who shaped the era. Perl examines how the late‑1950s economic boom and public enthusiasm for Abstract Expressionism paved the way for the explosive, theatrical Pop Art of the 1960s. By contextualizing the artists’ work within the vibrant, ever‑changing Manhattan milieu, he reveals how modern American art evolved into a dynamic, influential cultural force. New Art City remains a vital resource for anyone interested in the social history, biographical insights, and critical analysis of one of America’s most revolutionary artistic periods.

First publish date: 2005