The Art of the 20th century Zen, by Audrey Yoshiko Seo and Stephen Addiss

Following a brief introduction to the historical development of Zen Buddhism in Japan and its characteristics in the 20th century, this exhibition catalog unfolds the personal journeys of 14 leading Japanese Zen masters expressing the Zen spirit in their teaching and their art. Appropriately illustrated with portraits of the masters and their calligraphy and paintings, mostly in full color, this book is a rich display of artistic variations on traditional Zen themes. One of very few titles on the subject, this is an important contribution to the study of Zen art and serves as a window on the Zen world for the Western audience. Seo teaches Japanese art and culture at the College of William and Mary; the exhibition will be touring the United States through the spring of 2000. Recommended for public and academic libraries as a welcome addition to Asian art collections.?Lucia S. Chen, NYPL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Stephen Addiss, PhD, is Professor of Art at the University of Richmond in Virginia. A scholar-artist, he has exhibited his ink paintings and calligraphy in Asia, Europe, and the United States. He is also the author or coauthor of more than thirty books and catalogues about East Asian arts, including The Sound of One Hand: The Paintings and Calligraphy of Zen Master Hakuin.