Contemporary Realism: The Seavest Collection

Richard and Monica Segal are unabashedly enthusiastic about contemporary realism. Richard Segal described the building of their renowned collection of art from that genre as “an addiction that filled my soul with the peace that comes from understanding.” That passion — to preserve and share the realist aesthetic — shines through here. This stunning large-format book showcases more than 100 works of contemporary realism, ranging from oil and acrylic paintings to cast glass and bronze statues. Many of the pieces are accompanied by essays that explore the artist’s work and provide various interpretations of the work’s overall intention. Among the works featured are Will Cotton’s mesmerizing Ice Cream Cavern, portrails like Alex Katz’s Amanda, and landscapes such as Malcolm Morley’s Pictures from the Azores and Jennifer Bartlett’s oddly disquieting At Sands Point #21. The book even includes Damian Loeb’s strange, hyper-realistic I’m Getting to You (very slowly) and other works that challenge readers to view the world anew.