James Dean died on 30th September 1955, aged 24. At the time of his fatal accident he had just completed Giant, his third film after East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause. Yet from this meagre career a legend was born that shows no sign of abating. He is a classic American icon, surpassed only by Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, projecting an image of Fifties cool and tough-guy charm that has been vigorously mass-marketed via T-shirts, posters, calendars and countless fan clubs. This biolgraphy looks beyond the Hollywood manufactured cliche to the volatile polarities, conflicted sexuality...

Published on the occasion of Nate Lowman s first exhibition with Gagosian, a survey of the artist s paintings known as Maps.