Rackstraw Downes was born in England in 1939 but has been considered an American artist for most of his life. He is a realist painter who could also be classified as a hyperrealist, so exacting are the details of his paintings. This book is a very fine catalogue that accompanies a large traveling exhibition that finally pays homage to this great painter.
Though every artist who paints representationally uses photographs to some extent, whether to capture the actual subject matter of a canvas or simply to provide references for times of day and qualities of light that can change so easily, Downs likely uses reference photographs but he is best known for his panoramic landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes, each rendered in such detail they almost defy the knowledge that they were painted on site - en plein aire. Though the sites he elects to paint are seemingly plebeian, Downes imbues them with a sense of importance and a respect for the history of the location - both now and how it may be perceived in the future. Some of his vistas measure approximately 7'' X 60 " - long horizontal views of a portion of landscape others might ignore, but by the perpetuation of his line of thought the 'subject' of the painting becomes significant. Not that all of his works are in this format: many of his paintings are small, minutely detailed images that invite the viewer to approach and enter the world he has captured. Rackstraw Downes has been called 'an artist's artist', but this book proves that he also belongs to the art loving public.
The reproductions of the paintings and drawings are excellent as is the fine 'essay interview' between the director of the Parrish Art Museum, Terrie Sultan, and Rackstraw Downes. The depth of art history and technical knowledge is sufficient for a stand alone book, making the addition of this written word a superb accompaniment to what appears to be an extraordinary exhibition
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