Art History Professor Shares Work at Book Signing

Join Leo Mazow, associate professor of art history in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, for a book signing and brief, introductory presentation at Nightbird Books at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 28. His latest work, Thomas Hart Benton and the American Sound, explores the capacity of sound — musical, industrial, religious, and otherwise — to register and convey meaning in the visual arts. 

Hailing from Neosho, Mo., and widely known as the teacher of Jackson Pollock, Benton came from a long line of politicians, and Mazow's book demonstrates that the artist had similar populist goals, preserving in paint the voice — and sounds — of the folk.

Nightbird Books is located at 205 W. Dickson Street in Fayetteville.

Later this year, Mazow will present “Thomas Hart Benton: Painting the Song” as part of a lecture series at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

What some reviewers are saying about Mazow and his work:

“Leo Mazow’s much-anticipated Thomas Hart Benton and the American Sound contains many delightful surprises. For one, it opens up Benton to new lines of inquiry: much has been written about this modern American painter, and authors have long noted his interest in music—especially American folk songs—but now, at last, we have a book that considers Benton’s trenchant absorption in American sound in the context of diverse theories and the rich pageantry of his era. Moreover, the book is superbly researched and well written. And in rendering Benton and his interests as fresh and novel, Mazow performs an enormous favor for anyone interested in modern American culture. Here’s yet another guise for a controversial and outspoken artist. A superb book that’s sure to leave a lasting mark.” —Justin Wolff, University of Maine

“An interesting and compelling project exploring the centrality of ‘sound’ in the work and career of American artist Thomas Hart Benton.” —A. Joan Saab, University of Rochester.