- First documentation of this universally American vehicle by
award-winning artist John Himmelfarb- Of interest to both automobile
collectors and American art collectors- John Himmelfarb's work hangs in
prominent American and international collections including The Museum of
Modern Art, New York, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The British
Museum of Art, London This book explores the iconic American vehicle -
the truck - through the sculpture, paintings, prints, and drawings of
Chicago-based artist John Himmelfarb. Trucks: Recent Works by John
Himmelfarb is a decade-long visual exploration of different types of
trucks and their place in everyday life. Himmelfarb adeptly shifts
between mediums, style, and message in his works. The common truck under
the hands of Himmelfarb becomes provocative, with each piece exuding its
own personality. Himmelfarb's work traverses seamlessly through painting
in acrylic, lithography, etching, silkscreen, and drawing in ink or
pencil. His brushwork and drawing style are animated and playful,
prompting the viewer to look at the everyday truck, and other
hardworking vehicles, with a different perspective. In 2007, as a result
of a three-month residency with the John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Arts/Industry program, the artist established his first foray into
sculpture and industrial design, and this presentation is the first
documentation of Himmelfarb's new work in three dimensions. As author
Janet L. Farber eloquently says in her introductory essay, "Like
sleuths, those following its path [an artist's career] look for clues
of continuity, relishing works that tell us a little about their past
while anticipating future directions. Fortunately, John Himmelfarb has
hopped on a truck for the most recent part of his personal odyssey and
left tire tracks behind."
