Reading in the Bathroom | Miles Davis | The Collected Artwork

[responsivevoice_button voice=”UK English Female” buttontext=”Listen to Post”]

I received this book as a thank-you gift for donating to “Miles Ahead,” an independent movie depicting a moment in the artist’s life. At the time of my donation, the script treatment described the depiction of his life right before the development and production of his breakthrough acid jazz album “Bitches Brew.”

Typical of a coffee table book — and similar to Miles’ minimalist by iconoclastic style — it’s light on text, with a heavy emphasis on the visuals. A few essays are written by Erin Davis (Davis’ youngest child) and Vince Wilburn, Jr. (Davis’ nephew). And a foreword is written by music legend Quincy Jones. But most words are from Miles himself. As an artist who was constantly self-reflective, it wasn’t hard to get him on record. You get just enough of his context to get the gist. But you as the viewer are allowed plenty of room to consume the art yourself.

Audio | Don Cheadle on KCRW’s The Treatment

Featured are ribbon-like figure drawings. They often recall a feminine form. But in other cases, they appear to slide along the gender spectrum.

Abstract expressionism is the most common approach. His signature visual element is side-profiles, juxtaposed to one another:

Note the multiple depictions of faces in side profile. It’s fun going through each piece and counting how many I can find.

This piece is by far my favorite. Note how the painting almost stretches to two pages but leaves plenty of white space. I suspect this was done to both ensure the work doesn’t get distorted, and to allow the eye to rest on a blank canvas if needed.

In my opinion, the true stars of this book are the photographer and publishing company, as the photography and printing techniques really recapture the vivid energy in all his work. Photographed by veteran music photographer Don Hunstein, and published by Insight Editions’ Robbie Schmidt, Miles Davis: The Collected Artwork is a beautiful addition to any artist and jazz music fan’s collection.

Reading in the Bathroom is a book review series by IDSL. Reading is obviously not done in the bathroom exclusively. Sometimes it’s at a park bench, outdoor cafe, or on the train. But the best reading is done in the bathroom.