Deconstructing the Artistic Impulse through an Examination of David Wiesner's Art and Max

Abstract

In Art and Max¹ David Wiesner explores the tools and processes of artistic creation. This book does so in an unusually self-referential way as the very illustrations themselves are the subject focus for deconstructing and reconstructing the meaning of art. While this is a picture book with simple text and most likely aimed at very young children, we can find here a rich mine of ideas for "children of all ages," any of us who are puzzled by the meaning of art. This text can be a wonderful guide for reflecting on the nature of art, the requirements for artistry, and problematizing of how art relates to the world.