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by Zelda Leah Gatuskin (Editor)
In graphic art, photography, poetry and prose, a young artist reveals his talent and his torment, his wise-beyond-his-years insights on society, his questioning of his own purpose, and his craving for love. These collected works of Van Dorn Hooker, III ("Chip" to his family) date from about 1972 up to October 1976, when he was killed in a highway accident at the age of twenty-two. The book, published at the behest of Van Dorn Hooker, Jr., also includes remembrances of his son. Holly Hurwitz writes: "Experiencing and creating art seemed to provide Van with ... a vehicle to search for truth and meaning, and even beauty, in a world full of superficiality, pain, and suffering. He was as exquisitely sensitive to that pain as he was truly sustained by the deep emotional connections with those he loved, by the beauty in the natural world, and by the transcendent power of art." Indeed, the art of Van Dorn Hooker, III has transcended the decades to inspire the book's editor Zelda Gatuskin. From her Editor's Note: "Even Van's casual jottings are full of perceptive wit and high graphic style. Kooky characters and sharp social commentary populate his class notes, journals, letters, and sketchbooks. The more formal works are beautifully designed and executed, demonstrating his dedication to craft. Although Van's life was tragically cut short, I could not approach this collection as something unfinished or only for memorial purpose. Here is art doing what art does: making us laugh, cry, question, love, and look at ourselves, the world and our fellow humans more perceptively." Whether you are a lover of art and poetry, a dabbler in the arts, or someone who truly lives for art, this collection will move and inspire.
