Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell

Name: Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9781588347411
Price: 115.0 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Kit Brooks and Ay-O and Sukeda Kenryo

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Summary

Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell is a vibrant and comprehensive catalogue celebrating the first major US museum exhibition of the avant-garde artist Ay-O, famously known as the “Rainbow Artist” for his vivid use of colour. Featuring around 140 stunning illustrations from the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and other institutions, the book explores Ay-O's legacy within the Fluxus movement and his compelling relationship with the rainbow motif, described by the artist as his “rainbow hell.”

The book includes insightful essays by Kit Brooks, the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art, providing biographical context and analysis of Ay-O's work, as well as an illustrated essay by longtime printer Sukeda Kenryo detailing the meticulous silkscreen printing process that brings the artist's designs to life. The artist's own message adds a personal touch to this kaleidoscopic tribute.
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Format: Hardback

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This exquisitely produced volume is ideal for fans of contemporary and experimental art, collectors, and those interested in Japanese avant-garde culture and the Fluxus art movement. Its richly illustrated content and detailed essays also make it a valuable resource for students and scholars of modern art history.

Published in conjunction with the exhibition held at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, March 25-September 10, 2023

Description

This kaleidoscopic catalog, and first book in English dedicated to Ay-O, celebrates the avant-garde artist's first major museum exhibition in the United States.

Known as the "Rainbow Artist" for the prominent bright motif in his work, Ay-O has long referred to this compulsion as his "rainbow hell." Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell invites readers into the vibrant world of his brilliant art, mind, and imagination, featuring artwork from the first major US museum exhibition devoted to his work.

Printed on heavy 100# paper and in 7 colours (with added green, orange, and metallic gold inks, plus 2 spot colours and spot varnish) to achieve Ay-O's vibrant colour palette, the book is its own stunning art object. The dustjacket, printed and silkscreened on uncoated, felted art board, is die-cut to reveal the rainbow-printed caseside. Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell presents approximately 140 gorgeous illustrations from the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, home to the largest US collection of Ay-O's silkscreen prints, and loans from other US institutions along with enlightening catalog entries to better appreciate each piece.

Additionally, the book includes:

An essay from Kit Brooks, the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art, that provides a biography of Ay-O; explores the artist's fluctuating explanations for his rainbow fixation and its simultaneous liberation and restriction; and emphasises his legacy as an eminent member of Fluxus, an experimental art group in the 1960s and 1970s.
An illustrated essay from Ay-O's longtime printer Sukeda Kenryo, where he describes his painstaking work to translate the artist's designs onto prismatic silkscreen prints, work that can take up to a year to accomplish.
A message from the artist Ay-O himself.

Ay-O Happy Rainbow Hell is a colourful and comprehensive book that pays tribute to an extraordinary career and legacy as luminous as the art itself.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781588347411

Publisher: Smithsonian Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 21 March 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Smithsonian Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 254.0mm

Height: 285.0mm

Weight: 2g

Pages: 160

Collections

Arts & Culture Ay-O Kit Brooks Non-Fiction Penguin Books Sukeda Kenryo

About the Author

AY-O is a Japanese experimental visual and performance artist who is a notable member of the Fluxus movement that began in the 1960s. KIT BROOKS is the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art, specializing in prints and paintings of the Edo and Meiji periods.