Books by David Salle

How to See: Looking, Talking, and Thinking about Art

by David Salle

“If John Berger’s Ways of Seeing is a classic of art criticism, looking at the ‘what’ of art, then David Salle’s How to See is the artist’s reply, a brilliant series of reflections on how artists think when they make their work. The ‘how’ of art has perhaps never been better explored.” ―Salman Rushdie
How does art work? How does it move us, inform us, challenge us? Internationally renowned painter David Salle’s incisive essay collection illuminates these questions by exploring the work of influential twentieth-century artists. Engaging with a wide range of Salle’s friends and contemporaries―from painters to conceptual artists such as Jeff Koons, John Baldessari, Roy Lichtenstein, and Alex Katz, among others―How to See explores not only the multilayered personalities of the artists themselves but also the distinctive character of their oeuvres.
Salle writes with humor and verve, replacing the jargon of art theory with precise and evocative descriptions that help the reader develop a personal and intuitive engagement with art. The result: a master class on how to see with an artist’s eye. 30 illustrations

How to See: Looking, Talking, and Thinking about Art

by David Salle

A master class in contemporary art by one of the preeminent painters of our time.
How does art work? How does it move us, inform us, challenge us? Internationally renowned painter David Salle’s incisive essay collection illuminates the work of many of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Engaging with a wide range of Salle’s friends and contemporaries―from painters to conceptual artists such as Jeff Koons, John Baldessari, Roy Lichtenstein, and Alex Katz, among others―How to See explores not only the multilayered personalities of the artists themselves but also the distinctive character of their oeuvres.
Salle writes with humor and verve, replacing the jargon of art theory with precise and evocative descriptions that help the reader develop a personal and intuitive engagement with art. The result: a master class on how to see with an artist’s eye. 30 illustrations

Neo Rauch

by David Salle, Ingrid Mössinger, Ralph Keuning

The definitive monograph on the acclaimed German artist Neo Rauch, one of the most influential figurative painters working today

Neo Rauch is one of the world's most successful and popular contemporary artists. A leading force of the Leipzig School, the group of artists that emerged from East Germany in the early 1990s after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Rauch quickly established himself internationally through his large canvases featuring a crossover between Surrealism and popular imagery.

Characterized by a bright acidic palette, Rauch's ambiguous landscapes are populated by spatially connected, alienated figures conjuring a mysterious atmosphere of distorted nostalgia and failed Utopia. This career-spanning monograph was made in close collaboration with the artist, showcasing Rauch's work alongside essays and texts that illuminate his work and career.

Nicole Wittenberg

by David Salle, Suzanne Hudson, Jarrett Earnest, Nicole Wittenberg, Devon Zimmerman

The highly anticipated first survey of the work of American painter Nicole Wittenberg

Over the past two decades, Nicole Wittenberg has developed an expressive body of work that includes paintings of landscapes, portraits, and erotica. Best known for her vibrant and energetic mark making, Wittenberg creates seemingly spontaneous images from studies and drawings - oftentimes from life - which she synthesizes into much larger paintings on canvas.

Weaving together painterly gestures across subject matter - some published here for the first time - this debut monograph features essays by the art historian Suzanne Hudson, the curator Devon Zimmerman, and the contemporary painter David Salle, as well as an extended conversation between the artist and writer Jarrett Earnest. These texts create an insightful portrait of Wittenberg as an artist. Presented in a beautiful cloth case showcasing details of one of her floral compositions, this book explores the full range of Wittenberg's artistic vision and represents the most significant publication of her work to date.

The publication of the book coincides with two solo exhibitions of the artist's work, at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art.