Published by Marquand Books. Edited by Julie Reiss. Text by Dennis Adams, Penny Balkin Bach, Julie Deamer, Annalise Flynn, Ed Levine, Michael Mercil, Clarence Morgan, Julie Reiss, Maria Victoria Véliz, Michelle West.
Published with Harpo Foundation.
To mark the opening of Ed Levine’s (1935–2020) monumental sculptural environment, Vermont Village, this monograph examines, through a suite of texts, the artist’s contributions to New England contemporary art as a creator, critic, educator and advocate. One essay explores Levine’s early work as an artist and critic to identify the sources of his ideas around perception and the body’s role in artistic experience. A second highlights how Levine translates Thoreau’s themes of solitude and introspection among nature into a public art experience. Two essays focus on Vermont Village; one describes its genesis and construction, the other places the work within the genre of artist-built environments. Rounding out the essays are texts by artists who knew Levine, and a detailed chronology. The book concludes with a selection of Levine’s own writings, chosen for their passionate advocacy for individual creativity.
