The fascinating story of Jack Goldstein, the beginnings of CalArts, and some of the illustrious fellows who, in the 1970s and 1980s, led the transition from
conceptual art to the
Pictures Generation, paints an uncompromising picture of the art world then and now.
This book is anchored by Jack Goldstein's reflections, dramatized by Hertz into first person narratives, of the early days of CalArts and the last days of Chouinard; the New York artworld; the trials and tribulations of finding and maintaining success; his inter-personal relationships; and his disappearance from the art scene. They are complemented by the dramatized first person narratives of Jack's friends, including
John Baldessari,
Troy Brauntuch, Rosetta Brooks, Jean Fisher, Robert Longo,
Matt Mullican, and James Welling. There are provocative portraits of many well known personalities of the 80s, including Mary Boone, David Salle, and Helene Winer, all working at a time when "the competitive spirit was strong and often brutal, caring little about anything but oneself and making lots of money." Has anything changed?
