BY SARAH BERMAN, THE BLOCK MAGAZINE

Pop Touched Me is a self-conscious reflection upon artist Rob Pruitt’s implausible journey through fame and failure. From gallery-hosted flea markets to 101 test-driven art ideas, it seems oddly fitting that Pruitt’s playful and often participatory exhibitions have been immortalized in glossy coffee table reading. Now celebrated for painting shimmering panda bears, Pruitt was once excommunicated from New York’s art scene for a supposed racist homage to black American culture.

(Evidently he and partner-in-crime Jack Early were terrible rappers).

It took nothing short of seven years and a 16-foot line of cocaine to catapult Pruitt back into creative popularity. Instead of chronicling his work through essay or autobiography, the artbook offers hundreds of quotes from Pruitt’s personal friends and colleagues. Though the gushing compliments read more like product testimonials than actual criticism, it’s difficult to overlook such unabashed praises from the likes of Marc Jacobs and Kim Gordon. Apparently Sophia Coppola regrets missing the cocaine buffet to this day.