Ed Levine: The Embodied Experience of Art

Celebrating the legacy of Ed Levine through the culmination of his life’s work: Vermont Village, a sculptural environment across 10 acres of woodland. Published with Harpo Foundation. To mark the opening of Ed Levine’s (1935–2020) monumental sculptural environment, Vermont Village, this monograph examines, through a suite of texts, the artist’s contributions to New England contemporary art as a creator, critic, educator and advocate. One essay explores Levine’s early work as an artist and critic to identify the sources of his ideas around perception and the body’s role in artistic experience. A second highlights how Levine translates Thoreau’s themes of solitude and introspection among nature into a public art experience. Two essays focus on Vermont Village; one describes its genesis and construction, the other places the work within the genre of artist-built environments. Rounding out the essays are texts by artists who knew Levine, and a detailed chronology. The book concludes with a selection of Levine’s own writings, chosen for their passionate advocacy for individual creativity.