Dark Metropolis: Irving Norman's Social Surrealism

The uncompromising nature of the paintings of California artist Irving Norman (1906-1989), with their dense and hostile cityscapes, dehumanized workers and students, and political perspective shaped by his experiences as a soldier in the Spanish Civil War, have perhaps denied him the wider recognition he deserves beyond his passionate supporters and collectors, but maybe the recent exhibit by the Crocker Art Museum, which has resulted in this catalogue, may go some way towards redressing that wrong. Following essays discussing Norman's life and politics and the themes and techniques of his paintings (which often remind one of the scale and concerns of Diego Rivera mixed with the surrealist vision of Salvador Dali), a wide selection of his paintings are reproduced in thematic sections labeled "The Capitalist Enigma," "The Social Illusion," "The Cycle of War," "The Urban Transformation," and "The Human Predicament." Because of the scale of Norman's paintings, details are frequently reproduced in addition to whole works. Appendices list a catalogue of Norman's works, exhibitions and collections, and reproductions. Distributed in the US by Heyday Books. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)