Art Since 1980 (paperback): Charting the Contemporary - Softcover

Kalb, Peter R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1780672802 ISBN 13: 9781780672809

Publisher: Laurence King Publishing, 2014

Synopsis

Art Since 1980 holds up a mirror to our society while charting the story of art in contemporary global culture. With over 300 pictures of painting, photography, sculpture, installation, performance and video art, we are led on a fascinating journey via the individuals and communities who have shaped world art. The political and cultural transformations of the early 1980s developed a new era of compatibility between communist states and western-style economics. The art world then expanded to include Russia and China, feminism and racial equality came to the fore, and the World Wide Web was born, changing forever the availability and distribution of visual material. Today we see record-breaking sales of contemporary art and a dramatic rise in the number of students taking courses in the visual and performing arts. Kalb approaches art from various angles, such as artistic production, display, critical reception and its relationship to society. Alongside his analysis of specific works of art, he also builds a framework for students to acquire the more general skills of research, and abstract and theoretical thinking.

About this title

Product Description:

Art Since 1980 charts the story of art in contemporary global culture while holding up a mirror to our society. With over 300 pictures of painting, photography and sculpture, as well as installation, performance and video art, we are led on an illuminating journey via the individuals and communities who have shaped art internationally. The political and cultural transformations of the early 1980s developed a new era of accord between communist states and western-style economics. The art world has since been reconceived and today we see record-breaking sales of contemporary art and a dramatic rise in the number of students taking courses in the visual and performing arts. Kalb approaches art from multiple angles, addressing issues of artistic production, display, critical reception and social content. Alongside his analysis of specific works of art, he also builds a framework for readers to increase their knowledge and enhance critical and theoretical thinking.

Review:

“The writing is clear, artists are well chosen, and the chapter organization is logical. . . . The author strikes an admirable balance between a social history of institutions and contexts, and attention to individual aesthetic choices.”

-Bill Anthes, Pitzer College

 

“A quite complete and detailed survey of contemporary art, that . . . goes into substantial detail on a number of world contemporary artists.”

-Ellen Hoobler, Columbia University

 

“A good overview of late twentieth-century art, organized thematically and built of short discussions of individual artists. The way that the text is primarily organized around short discussions of individual artists or organizations is effective."

-Sarah Hollenberg, University of Utah

 

“Excellent research; great insights and surprisingly comprehensive.”

-Doreen Maloney, University of Kentucky

About this edition

• Publisher: Laurence King Publishing
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1780672802
• ISBN 13: 9781780672809
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336