The Pursuit of Art

July 1, 2019
A passionate globe-trot through the history of art and art appreciation. Spectator art critic Gayford (Modernists and Mavericks: Bacon, Freud, Hockney and the London Painters, 2018, etc.) believes in the power of being present; when it comes to viewing art, "there is no substitute for being there." "The deepest and richest experiences are not virtual but physical," he writes. "They involve looking at real things and talking to real people." The author chronicles his travels from the mountains of China to Marfa, Texas, all in search of a genuine art experience. As a travel writer, Gayford is an exceptional guide: His visit to Târgu Jiu in Romania to see Constantin Brancusi's masterwork Endless Column is an inspirational pilgrimage, while his hunt for Lorenzo Lotto's oeuvre in Northern Italy is a riveting study in unstable itineraries, expectations, and adaptation. Some journeys are simply interviews with contemporary artists like Gerhard Richter and Jenny Saville; while often captivating, they lack the sense of adventure that makes other sections of the collection so transportive. The author's account of his trip to Beijing to cover the British artists Gilbert & George is a standout, as it simultaneously functions as a travelogue and an artist profile. While Gayford's passion is contagious and will conjure in readers dreams of travel, he also unintentionally narrows the landscape of art appreciation. "To understand Tintoretto," he writes, "you've really got to go to Venice." While he may be correct, he also effectively pushes a gate closed on casual aficionados who may never make it to Italy. A private visit to Anselm Kiefer's studio organized by the Royal Academy and an exclusive, early viewing of Roni Horn's "Library of Water" in Iceland are rapturous treks to read about, but they also feel within reach only to the financially elite and those with top-tier press credentials. An art expert's often enchanting paean to being there, however inaccessible that pursuit may be.

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