WILLIAM N. COPLEY / Selected Writings

William N. Copley
Selected writings  2020
Softcover, 270 pages
22 x 14.5cm
Walther König, Köln

Condition: New

Though best known for his radical work as a painter, which he pursued under the name CPLY, William N. Copley (1919–1996) was also a talented writer. The texts gathered in Selected Writings present an essential companion for readers interested in the extraordinary life, work, and milieu of this singular artist. Among Copley’s reflections on art and artists (from Man Ray to Joseph Cornell) is “Portrait of the Artist as Young Dealer,” a vividly humorous account of his brief tenure as a dealer in Surrealist art in 1940s Los Angeles. Included are key interviews and correspondence illuminating Copley’s own practice and a selection of his newspaper articles, reporting entertaining encounters in France with artists such as Picasso and Constantin Brancusi, originally published in the 1950s and reprinted now for the first time.

Overall, "Selected Writings" serves as an indispensable companion for those interested in exploring the extraordinary life, artistic contributions, and milieu of William Nelson Copley, showcasing his talents not only as a painter but also as a thoughtful writer and observer of the art world.