James Castle: His Life and Art by Tom Trusky (review)

B o o k R e v i e w s Ja m e s C a s t l e : H is L if e an d A r t . By T o m T r u sk y . B o is e : I d a h o C e n t e r fo r t h e B o o k , 2 0 0 4 . 1 7 2 p a g e s, $ 1 9 .9 5 . R e v i e w e d b y B r a n d o n R . S c h r a n d U n i v e r si t y o f I d a h o , M o sc o w B e cau se h is w o r k is so r iv e t in g, it is t e m p t in g t o w an t t o u n d e r st an d Ja m e s C a st le ’s ar tw o r k in ter m s o f fo r m al ar t m o v e m e n t s. I n d e e d , a h an d fu l o f cr itics fo r t h e last fo r ty y e ar s h av e w a n t e d t o se e C a st le in r e la t io n t o ot h er , w ellk n o w n ar t ist s. Bu t C a st le — t h e e n igm at ic I d a h o n at iv e w h o w as, as far as w e k n ow , d eaf, m u te , a n d illit e r at e — r esist s su c h c o m p ar iso n s. C a st le ’s se lf- t au gh t m e t h o d s, ap p r o p r ia t io n o f fo u n d m at e r ial, u se o f so o t - a n d - sa liv a in k , an d m y ste r io u s b ac k gr o u n d , m ak e p ar alle ls t o an y ar t ist , m e d iu m , o r sty le n e ar ly im p o ssib le t o draw . In t h is b r ie f y e t a m b it io u s r e n d e r in g o f C a st le ’s o e u v r e an d c a p t iv a t in g life, T ru sk y n e go t ia t e s a c o m p le x w e b o f o r al n ar r at iv e s, n e w sp ap e r clip p in gs, h ist o r ical e v e n t s, an d in te r v ie w s t h at h e lp sit u a t e C a st le ’s p la ce in th e gr e ate r a r t w o r ld ge n e r ally a n d w e st e r n A m e r ic a n ar t in p ar t icu lar . Bu t , as T ru sk y p o in t s o u t , C a st le ’s W e st isn ’t t h e r h ap so d ic W e st o f Fr e d e r ick R e m in gt o n o r C h a r le s R u sse ll. H is is a c o m p lic a t e d W e st o f...