Publisher's Synopsis
Marilyn Monroe statuettes, Venus salt-and-pepper shakers, plastic Jesuses, and brides and grooms rescued from the tops of wedding cakes: useless kitsch or important cultural artifacts? The answer depends on your tastes and tendencies. This volume presents a celebration of the highlights (and low-lights) of culture from the Museum of Contemporary Art. A collaboration between Victor Margolin, a design historian, and Patty Carroll, a photographer of pop culture, this study should help illuminate and challenge the distinctions between high and low art that have troubled museums throughout history. Drawn from Margolin's own collection acquired from souvenir shops, flea markets and antique stores from around the world, these nearly 200 common and rare objects are grouped into sections that correspond to his private "museum": souvenirs, decorative art, folk art, commercial art, useful art, icons, and fashion. Each section is introduced by an informative text, and the objects are displayed with captions.
