We are moved by Jarrett Earnest's deep consideration of the life and work of Dave Hickey, a writer who has made a profound impact on our thinking, and on our list, since 1993. So much of Hickey's history is reflected in our own story, from his seminal early writing for @karenmarta at @parkettart to the publication of his landmark essay collections 'The Invisible Dragon: Four Essays on Beauty' (1993) and 'Air Guitar: Essays on Art and Democracy' (1997) — both from Art Issues Press. We are also proud to distribute his 2013 collection, 'Pirates and Farmers' from @ridinghousebooks "It is not just the power, mastery, and invention of Hickey’s writing that makes it so singular, but its view of the world. In Hickeyland, painters, singers, wrestlers, and magicians develop from a primordial woundedness—from a profound alienation from the world, which their art doesn’t necessarily heal but seeks to address. … Similarly, and almost uniquely in contemporary criticism, Hickey’s writing returns to artists both their painful humanity and their extraordinary talents, inextricably pushing them apart from, and toward, their fellows. … Moving beyond the personal psychology or biography of an artist, the artwork extends an unlikely communion with other alienated people who have found that by making and thinking about something beautiful, they invoke a gentler, more exciting, and more livable society. … For him, art is not defined by auction prices or tenured jobs, but by the feeling that it produces, bringing one into more meaningful connection with other people and the richness of being itself. In an art world that has expanded in transnational finance and professional glut, Hickey’s writing remains more relevant and radical than ever. Today the immensity of his achievement casts a shadow over the institutionalized spaces of art history and criticism, fluttering above them on iridescent wings made of words." Read the full review via linkinbio #davehickey #artissues #garykornblau #airguitar #invisibledragon #piratesandfarmers #artcriticism @jarrett227 @nybooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CewXdaSJ8vj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
