Holding Ground - The Art of Gary Ernest Smith

Donald Hagerty "an independent scholar and consultant on the art and culture of the American West" who has a written a number of books and articles on art, here considers the work of Gary Ernest Smith. Through five chapters: Transformation and Testimony; Foundations of Lie and Art; Symbols of

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Agrarian Life; Familiar Terrain; and Journeys through Cultivated Landscapes Hagerty considers the artist's life and work, and how it reflects the changes in rural America. The book includes a Chronology of Events and a Bibliography.

The book includes around 130 reproductions of the artist's work all in full colour with the exception of a few monochrome drawings, there are further photographs of the artist and his studio. The work illustrated ranges from his iconic figures to rural landscapes, it includes some early work, one from when Smith was six years old, and a few sculptures.

It is a beautifully produced volume, well laid out and with a great many of the illustrations up to full page size. A large format book, its landscape format favours the majority of the pictured work, which comes across most powerfully in this sumptuous book.

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