Faces and names

The publication “Alex Katz, Faces and Names” presents a body of work by the American artist that is part of BSI Art Collection, a small but representative selection of paintings. The volume reproduces the “Fan of the Poet,” a portfolio of an aquatint produced in 1978 and accompanied by poems. The artist has provided technical comments and personal memories, especially written for this occasion, for each work. The book constitutes a handy and unique opportunity to take an inside look at the background to Alex Katz’s practice.

The book is published by the commissioner, BSI (Banca della Svizzera Italiana), as part of their Art Program, relaunched in 2005 by the Italian curator and critic Luca Cerizza. Stemming from a program of site-specific commissions for the bank, the books in this series are conceived as individual monographs on each artist’s contribution. Gathering preparatory material, documentation on the works, and essays by critics or the artists themselves, these volumes participate in the discussion around commissioning, the notions of public vs. private collection, and the relationship between artists and patrons.