ArtBook - Artists Working from Life

What does drawing from life mean in the 21st century?

From Michelangelo’s marbles to photographic self-portraits, artists have always been fascinated by their creative encounters with the human body. Often a key part of their early training, drawing and sculpting from life inform their later work in unexpected and inspiring ways. This illuminating publication brings together interviews with 19 contemporary artists working in a variety of different mediums, including Cai Guo-Qiang, Lucian Freud, Antony Gormley, David Hockney, Chantal Joffe, Bridget Riley, Jenny Saville and Yinka Shonibare. Through their in-depth conversations with the artists, writers explore the many ways artists work “from life”: from Jeremy Deller’s open life class with Iggy Pop as model, to Jonathan Yeo’s innovative use of 3D scanners and virtual reality. An introductory essay provides the historical context for a practice deeply rooted in artistic tradition. Generously illustrated with reproductions of each artist’s work, this book overturns many of the assumptions about “working from life.”