Peter Voulkos: The Breakthrough Years is the first monograph in over 20 years on the artist Peter Voulkos. Covering the most prolific span of Voulkos' career, from the early 1950s to the 1970s, this book includes both his well-known ceramic works as well as his largely overlooked paintings.

While Voulkos' work has most often been discussed in relation to the practice of ceramics, the writers in this book explore the artist's work through the scope of art history and in a contemporary light. In addition to engaging with the breakthrough years of Voulkos' practice, a focus is also put on his legacy today, as numerous artists explore the expressive language of clay that he helped to re-invent.

The book includes texts from writers Andrew Perchuk, Deputy Director at The Getty Research Institute; and Jenni Sorkin, Assistant Professor in Contemporary Art at UC Santa Barbara.

Published in collaboration with the Museum of Arts and Design, New York.


Author: Glenn Adamson
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Black Dog Press
Published: 11/29/2016
Pages: 208
Weight: 2.6lbs
Size: 10.90h x 9.00w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9781910433898

About the Author
Glenn Adamson: Nanette L. Laitman Director at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York.
Elissa Auther: Windgate Research Curator, a joint appointment at the Museum of Arts and Design and the Bard Graduate Center, New York, in collaboration with The Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design.
Barbara Paris Gifford: Curatorial Assistant at Museum of Arts and Design, New York
Jim Melchert: Jim Melchert was born in 1930 in Ohio. He earned degrees in painting at the University of Chicago and afterwards ceramics under Peter Voulkos at the University of California, Berkeley.
Ruby Neri: A sculptor, painter, and former street artist from San Francisco and Los Angeles, California, known for her portrayal of horses.