Sensual Mechanical: The Art of Craig Kauffman

In recent years there has been a considerable swell of interest in the Los Angeles artists of the 1960s, especially those associated with the legendary Ferus Gallery. A number of these artists worked with translucent and transparent materials such as glass, plastic and resin. Craig Kauffman (1932-2010) is an undisputed pioneer in this generation, and Sensual Mechanical is the definitive book on his work. Kauffman's paintings of the late 50s and his lozenge-like, vacuum-formed, acrylic wall reliefs of the early 60s were among the very first works to articulate what quickly came to be known as the Los Angeles sensibility. Hunter Drohojowska-Philp's gorgeously illustrated and highly informative monograph (Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times) traces the development of his exquisitely luminous paintings and wall reliefs, which combine an unabashed eroticism with a keen instinct for architectural execution. With 179 reproductions in color, this beautifully designed publication combines critical analysis of Kauffman's art with a detailed biographical component, and is the first comprehensive overview of this important artist's work.