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Reviews by Susan Knowles
"Building the Getty" focuses on the arduous process of planning and building the new J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The text, written by architect Richard Meier, who also took many of the 100 photos included, is a running narrative of his involvement with the project, which includes texts of important correspondence and, at times, fairly candid self assessment.He begins with a brief, but fascinating, synopsis of his life and career up to the point of his selection for the project in 1984. His readable prose is informative and personal, offering an intimate view of his working philosophy, his design thought processes and the history of many of his key professional relationships. Meier well conveys the intricacies, personal, professional and public, of what he calls this "once in a lifetime" undertaking.
Although the price tag may seem a bit steep, this accessible little volume will intrigue and entertain anyone interested in contemporary architecture and art, for Meier well deserves his reputation as one of our finest architects and philosophers of design.
"The J. Paul Getty Museum and Its Collections," a handsome coffee table book, is not only a comprehensive history but a guidebook to the activities of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which includes not only the museum, but also facilities for scholarly research, art education, art conservation, and museum leadership and management training. This substantial and beautifully designed 300-page volume begins with a profile of J. Paul Getty and his famous collections. It's written by the current Museum Director and Chief Curator, John Walsh and Deborah Gribbon, who also provide an up-to-date history of the museum since Getty and an in-depth look at its collecting policies and practices.
A major portion of the book is devoted, appropriately enough, to a definitive description of the collections, presented department by department. Because one of the Getty's mandates is to collect the finest and rarest examples in each field, these pieces alone, only a fraction of the museum's holdings, could serve as a fine, selected survey of art history.
Double-page color spreads featuring the new Museum open the book. Chapters five and six address current issues, including the history of the building project. This section forms an interesting counterpoint to "Building the Getty." Telling the same story, the two accounts offer an enlightening contrast in point of view between architect and curator.
This book will be of interest to those interested in the history of American entrepreneurs and philanthropists, as well as to art lovers of all kinds.
©1997, ProMotion, inc.