The Drawn Blank Series: encore, encore

It’s remarkable that the curator of a city art gallery in a little-known regional centre like Chemnitz should have persuaded Dylan to complete such a substantial body of art and then made it accessible to a global audience via the striking new catalogue, Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series.

Dylan fans worldwide are indebted to curator Ingrid Mossinger.

If I can find the time before it closes on 3 February 2008, I hope to visit the exhibition in Chemnitz, and I know several other Anglos hoping to do the same. Watch this space …

Recommending suppliers for the book, Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series, I stopped short of recommending the Chemnitz gallery which is actually holding the exhibition – “ … Dylan Daily emails to two officials, offering to review the catalogue, were ignored, so I can’t recommend that route.”

Happily, I have to report that my whining was premature – although I haven’t received an email response (to my two English-language emails, admittedly), today I received a copy of the magnificent book.

So I’m now happy to list the gallery as the prime supplier – they are selling the book at 28 euros (plus 17 euros packing/delivery) via their website – excellent value. Specify if you want the English-language version (the book includes several essays about the exhibition).

www.chemnitz.de/de/tourismus/tourismus_kultur_17_2.htm



Gerry Smith


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Earlier article:


The Drawn Blank Series – striking new book of Dylan paintings

Bob Dylan - The Drawn Blank Series is the official catalogue of the exhibition of Dylan paintings currently showing in Chemnitz, Germany.

But it’s rather more than that: it’s a sumptuous coffee table hardback collection of 170 striking watercolour/gouache paintings Dylan recently worked up from drawings originally sketched between 1989 and 1992.

The book is an unusual, beautiful, colourful artefact. Dylan’s artwork – interiors, urban landscapes, men, women - grabs your attention and demands careful scrutiny. The paintings, in the Expressionist style, would be arresting even if they didn’t carry Dylan’s signature. As you’d expect from its artist, the work is observant, witty and worldly-wise. The surprise is that it’s also technically accomplished – it never fails to evoke an emotional response.

I bought my cherished copy of Bob Dylan - the Drawn Blank Series from The Book Depository, England, via Amazon Marketplace, for £27.37p, delivered – a very competitive price. They still had stock when I checked, but if/when they run out, abebooks.co.uk lists other suppliers with stock. Be careful to order the correct edition – there is a German-, as well as an English-language version.

The Chemnitz gallery also has it for sale, but Dylan Daily emails to two officials, offering to review the catalogue, were ignored, so I can’t recommend that route.

Aficionados need this strikingly handsome artefact – it’s one of the Dylan highlights of recent years: far more important than that new film that’s getting all the media attention.


Details: Bob Dylan - The Drawn Blank Series, edited by Ingrid Mossinger. Munich, Prestel, large format hardback, 29 Nov 2007, 288pp.



Gerry Smith