Review of
Art
on the Rocks: Rock Art of the Southwest, by Bruce Hucko ISBN
1580710026
Four out of five stars
This book opens
slowly but then the majority remainder is extremely interesting. The last part
consists of images of the rock art along with explanatory captions. To the
author’s credit, Native Americans are consulted regarding the meaning of the
images. This is essential, given the generally abstract nature of the work.
The opening
section of text is more than a little self-referentially self-indulgent. One
example sentence is, “I want to rid myself of this self-indulgent, analytic
mind and allow the lines, colors and shapes to caress the hidden cavities of my
thoughts, the untended gardens of understanding that require nurturing from
images such as these to survive.” When the true purpose of the book is to
present the artwork, this type of prose is over the top. The author comes
across as trying to move the emphasis to him rather than the legacy that is
being displayed.
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