The Museum of Modern Love

By: Heather Rose

Narrated by: Laurel Lefkow

Our hero, Arky Levin, has reached a creative dead end. An unexpected separation from his wife was meant to leave him with the space he needs to work composing film scores, but it has provided none of the peace of mind he needs to create. Guilty and restless, it is almost by chance that he stumbles upon an art exhibit that will change his life.

Based on a real piece of performance art that took place in 2010, the installation that the fictional Arky Levin discovers is inexplicably powerful. Visitors to the Museum of Modern Art sit across a table from the performance artist Marina Abramovic, for as short or long a period of time as they choose. Although some go in skeptical, almost all leave moved. And the participants are not the only ones to find themselves changed by this unusual experience: Arky finds himself returning daily. As the performance unfolds over the course of 75 days, so, too, does Arky. Connecting with other people drawn to the exhibit, he slowly starts to understand what might be missing in his life and what he must do.

This is a book about art, but it is also about success and failure, illness, death, and happiness. It's about what it means to find connection in a modern world. And most of all, it is about love, with its limitations and its transcendence.

An iBooks bestseller. Winner of the 2017 Margaret Scott Prize. Winner of the 2017 Christina Stead Prize for Fiction. Winner of the 2017 Stella Prize. Shortlisted for the Australian Literature Society's 2017 Gold Medal. Shortlisted for the 2017 University of Queensland Book Award for Fiction.

©2018 Heather Rose (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Encourages thought about 'what is art'

From the title, I would not have selected this audible. After reading the description and some of the reviews, I selected this audible book, and am glad I did. I read about the MoMA exhibit 'The Artist is Present', yet did not give much thought to it, other than to read a bit about the artist. This book is both about the observer and the artist. Philosophical questions from both sides emerge. As the reader/listener is another outside observer, this gives yet another vantage to posed life questions. All in all, listening to the audible was well-spent thought provoking time.

Simply Lovely

I experienced this novel as an unexpected combination of the and the complex. The result was lovely and painful; heartwarming and heartbreaking. The stories of each character combined to produce a tale as shimmering as the play of light on water. Simply lovely.

A beautiful meditation on art, life, and risk.

This book slowly won me over. As an artist, I deeply appreciated the intuition and love that illuminated this book. I was also moved to hear that the author battles with considerable pain from arthritis. These are not facile insights. If you, in turn, love the life of art and art of life, I believe you may love this book the way I do.

was hoping for a happier ending

I first thought this book was about the archy character but it seems to be that it was more about the artist. I was hoping for a happier ending but over all I liked it

A grown up book for grown up people.

Thought you would know yourself by 50? Guess what...age doesnt provide the answers, just better articulated questions. Read this novel and let author Heather Rose, help. The insights and reflections will hit home. Whatever your age, we all need love.