Lika Mutal

Born in Holland in 1939, Mutal moved to South America in 1964, studied sculpture in Peru and began to carve powerful abstractions that seemed to release forces hidden in the stone and to bring inorganic matter to life. In this volume of dramatic photographs, Finn (How to Look at Photographs) observes Mutal's work from many angles, revealing the relationships between the various parts, capturing the contrasting textures and shapes, bringing the viewer into intimate contact with the fissures and contours. Short essays by De Ferrari, former director of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and Merriam (Bruno Lucchesi: The Sculptor of the Human Spirit) trace Mutal's life and explore the meaning of her monumental, individualistic formations, which are inspired by the landscape and people of Peru, her native Holland and the energy of New York City, where she lives for part of each year. Finn adds a ""Photographer's Note,"" and there are brief statements, often as abstract as her sculpture, by Mutal herself, along with the 200 b&w and eight color illustrations. (July)