Pure Reason: Poems

A specially illustrated collection of poems by renowned editor Nikos Stangos.
Nikos Stangos was a popular and influential figure in the cultural life of London until his death in 2004. Arriving in Britain in the mid-1960s after a childhood in postwar Greece and a period of study in the United States, Stangos soon became part of London's artistic and literary circles. As an editor at Thames & Hudson, he was responsible for many acclaimed books, and he worked with some of the best-known artists and art historians of the day.
He was also an accomplished poet, composing verse in both Greek and English. His poems, while rooted in the specifics of his life, deal with broad philosophical issues: the nature of beauty, love, art, and reason. All the works in this posthumous volume, selected by the writer David Plante, are published for the first time here.
Accompanying the poems are works of art contributed by some of the eminent painters and sculptors who knew and worked with Stangos, including David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Howard Hodgkin, Anthony Caro, Frank Auerbach, Maggi Hambling, and Bridget Riley. Some have produced work that refers directly to one of the poems; others have selected images inspired by Stangos himself or reflective of his personality. A passionate supporter of new trends in art, Stangos also formed lasting friendships with younger artists such as Julian Opie, Liam Gillick, Lisa Milroy, and Martin Maloney. Their works, and those of all the contributors to this unique book, stand as a testament to the esteem in which Stangos was held, and as a tribute to his enduring memory. 40 color illustrations.