Christian Boltanski

Three distinct perspectives on Boltanski and his work: an analytical essay, a personal interview, and a complete retrospective of his work to date. Christian Boltanski—internationally acclaimed photographer, sculptor, painter, and installation artist—tackles the problems of death, memory, and loss in his art that draws heavily from his own life. Boltanskis art can be either dark and disturbing or playful, and sometimes both at once. This monograph examines every aspect of his art, from his unusual choice of materials—newspaper clippings, used clothes, photographs of photographs—to the spirits that haunt his work. One of his most successful exhibitions, "Lessons in Darkness" (1988), explored the personal pathos of the Holocaust in a shocking new way. The author worked closely with the artist to produce a strong, visual work that provides a clear picture of the creative development of a major artist working today. Fully illustrated, the book includes an introductory portfolio of key installations, first hand interviews with the artist, analyses of the significance of individual works, and a full chronology and bibliography.

Catherine Grenier is director of contemporary collections at the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris. She has organized numerous exhibitions and published Annette Messager (Flammarion).

Daniel Mendelsohn is author of the critically acclaimed book The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million.