Invented Symbols: An Art Autobiography

Overview

Invented Symbols is Alex Katz's memoir of his education in art. Katz's story begins with his parents, Russian emigrés involved in theater, and discusses everything from his finding a high school that offered the possibility of drawing from antique casts, to his acceptance at the Cooper Union, his decision to become a fine artist and beyond. Katz has always steeped himself in the literature of his time, having often painted and collaborated with poets, and it is no surprise that his take on autobiography should be particularly considered and original in its composition: the entire text of Invented Symbols is in fact a transcription of the artist recounting his memories aloud, typed up by his son, poet Vincent Katz. This book revises and expands upon the 1997 Hatje Cantz edition, long out of print.