Douglas F. Smith

62 Articles

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PREMIUM

Cowboy

A surprisingly fun blend of nostalgia and disruption that’s at once eye-opening and reassuring, and appealing to both the artsy crowd and folks in Wrangler jeans.
PREMIUM

On the Verge of Domestication

Art served with an arched eyebrow, a marginal title of some interest to art teachers and students.
PREMIUM

The Artist in the Counterculture: Bruce Conner to Mike Kelley and Other Tales from the Edge

An account of unprecedented depth about a time quickly fading from memory, for aficionados of the avant-grade.
PREMIUM

The Museum: A Short History of Crisis and Resilience

Though Redman’s book covers a recondite topic, it contains many touchpoints of cultural history and is a timely, engaging read. A more comprehensive title is John Simmons’s 2016 volume Museums: A History.

Surf and Rescue: George Freeth and the Birth of California Beach Culture

A valuable and absorbing biography, starring a forgotten founder of California beach culture.
PREMIUM

The American Art Tapes: Voices of American Pop Art

Ultimately inconclusive on the question of artistic independence from Europe, this interesting time capsule of the American pop art elite is a rewarding deep dive into primary sources, packed with felicitous biographical content.
PREMIUM

Our National Monuments: America’s Hidden Gems

A universally appealing combination of stunningly beautiful photographs, evocative descriptions, and practical information about some of the nation’s most special places.
PREMIUM

Sisters in Art: The Biography of Margaret, Esther, and Helen Bruton

From their chubby-cheeked “Gibson Girl” childhood through their sunlit dotage, the Brutons were exemplars of many aspects of California history and, in recent years, overlooked. Good’s book corrects this.
PREMIUM

Light on Fire: The Art and Life of Sam Francis

An engaging read, avoiding hagiography. This biography of a mercurial rogue has something to amuse or annoy most aficionados.

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