Description
The untold story of an American hustler who upset the art world and became a pop culture icon, cutting a swath across twentieth-century history and culture.
LeRoy Neiman-the cigar-smoking and mustachioed artist famous for his Playboy illustrations, sports paintings, and brash interviews-stood among the twentieth-century's most famous, wealthy, and polarizing artists. His stylish renderings of musicians, athletes, and sporting events captivated fans but baffled critics, who accused Neiman of debasing art with pop culture. Neiman cashed in on the controversy, and his extraordinary popularity challenged the norms of what art should be, where it belongs, and who should have access to it.
The story of a depression-era ragamuffin turned army chef turned celebrity artist, Neiman's life is a rollicking ride through twentieth-century American history, punctuated by encounters with the likes of Muhammad Ali, Frank Sinatra, Joe Namath, and Andy Warhol. In the whirlwind of his life, Neiman himself once remarked that even he didn't know who he really was-but, he said, the fame and money that came his way made it all worth it. In this first biography of the captivating and infamous man, Travis Vogan hunts for the real Neiman amid the America that made him.
About the Author
Travis Vogan is professor of journalism, mass communication, and American studies at the University of Iowa. He is the author of numerous books on sports, media, and culture, most recently The Boxing Film: A Cultural and Transmedia History.
Reviews
"LeRoy Neiman wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, and it troubled him that he never really was. With this well-researched, insightful, and clear-eyed biography, Travis Vogan has righted that wrong. This isn't the adulatory book Neiman would have commissioned during his life, but anyone who takes art seriously-as he did-understands that there's no greater sign of respect than to reveal one's subject for what it is. That's just what Vogan has done for Neiman and his work in these pages." -- Colin Asher, author of 'Never a Lovely So Real: The Life and Work of Nelson Algren'
"Neiman and I were very good friends for forty years, and year after year, we covered most of the biggest sporting events together. I always took pictures of LeRoy at these events, and he'd always do a drawing of me in return. He could be very generous to his friends. I treasure my collection of those drawings. This terrific book perfectly captures the Neiman I knew." -- Neil Leifer, photojournalist
Book Information
ISBN 9780226820071
Author Travis Vogan
Format Hardback
Page Count 416
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 454g
LeRoy Neiman-the cigar-smoking and mustachioed artist famous for his Playboy illustrations, sports paintings, and brash interviews-stood among the twentieth-century's most famous, wealthy, and polarizing artists. His stylish renderings of musicians, athletes, and sporting events captivated fans but baffled critics, who accused Neiman of debasing art with pop culture. Neiman cashed in on the controversy, and his extraordinary popularity challenged the norms of what art should be, where it belongs, and who should have access to it.
The story of a depression-era ragamuffin turned army chef turned celebrity artist, Neiman's life is a rollicking ride through twentieth-century American history, punctuated by encounters with the likes of Muhammad Ali, Frank Sinatra, Joe Namath, and Andy Warhol. In the whirlwind of his life, Neiman himself once remarked that even he didn't know who he really was-but, he said, the fame and money that came his way made it all worth it. In this first biography of the captivating and infamous man, Travis Vogan hunts for the real Neiman amid the America that made him.
About the Author
Travis Vogan is professor of journalism, mass communication, and American studies at the University of Iowa. He is the author of numerous books on sports, media, and culture, most recently The Boxing Film: A Cultural and Transmedia History.
Reviews
"LeRoy Neiman wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, and it troubled him that he never really was. With this well-researched, insightful, and clear-eyed biography, Travis Vogan has righted that wrong. This isn't the adulatory book Neiman would have commissioned during his life, but anyone who takes art seriously-as he did-understands that there's no greater sign of respect than to reveal one's subject for what it is. That's just what Vogan has done for Neiman and his work in these pages." -- Colin Asher, author of 'Never a Lovely So Real: The Life and Work of Nelson Algren'
"Neiman and I were very good friends for forty years, and year after year, we covered most of the biggest sporting events together. I always took pictures of LeRoy at these events, and he'd always do a drawing of me in return. He could be very generous to his friends. I treasure my collection of those drawings. This terrific book perfectly captures the Neiman I knew." -- Neil Leifer, photojournalist
Book Information
ISBN 9780226820071
Author Travis Vogan
Format Hardback
Page Count 416
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 454g
