Art on the Edge and Over: Searching for Art's Meaning in Contemporary Society 1970s-1990s

by Linda Weintraub

In this highly accessible introduction to American art since the 1970s, Linda Weintraub offers art lovers a readable exploration of some of the most important artists and movements of the past three decades. Today artists routinely dissolve the old boundaries of art by creating works that neither hang on walls nor adorn pedestals, and often willfully overturn conventions of aesthetic value, permanence and optical reward. Curator and educator Weintraub has researched and/or interviewed 35 prominent radical artists and here explores their common concerns, creative processes and media. Devoting one essay to each artist, Weintraub offers a primer for museum and gallery goers who may be confronting such works for the first time, discussing Andres Serrano's photo of a crucifix submerged in urine, the half ton of dirty clothes Christian Boltanski piled on a museum floor worn by children of the Holocaust, Janine Antoni's mammoth blocks of chocolate and lard, Chuck Close's computer art and David Hammon's detritus constructions.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Collections, Art History

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 1996

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an art student, this was one of the books that my grad student teachers assigned as a textbook. As a beginning student who had a very limited idea of what could be considered as art, it opened my mind to a lot of things and changed the way I think about art in general, and it's role in contemporary society. I wouldn't say that it is an easy read, but not difficult either. There are a lot of names, and possibly some basic knowledge of some general art movements in history that would make for better understanding of this content, or would make the content more interesting.

I recommend if you are an artist or art enthusiast of any kind; this book stretches the boundaries of what art is and goes beyond just the aesthetic principles of it. It explores the purposes of the artists, the mediums, the methods, and societal implications, etc. as themes. Examples include, plastic surgery as a medium, discarded objects repurposed, bodily fluids, meticulous documentation, and more.

[Rexor1701 · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a MUST read for art lovers of the contemporary movement or for people who want a crash course in the "far-out" artist of the contemporary era. The artist within this book through the works spawned the phrase,"WTF?!!".

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a docent at the University of Michigan Museum of Art and I was particularly interested in reading about artists whose work we have in our collection or who have given talks and shows on campus. I am so glad I now have this as a resource. The chapters of Felix Gonzales Torres and Donald Sultan gave greater depth to my understanding. As did the chapter on Marina Abramovic. Abramovic gave an illustrated presentation of her work on campus. I hated watching her deface her body, but, at least, now I understand what she is attempting to do and her reasons for this. I still am not a fan, but now I have the vocabulary to explain why.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm teaching this book to my class this semester. It is a great overview of contemporary artists in the 90's, written in a smart but understandable way. I'm teaching freshman (17 / 18 year olds here in TN ). A bit outdated, this book will hopefully expand their minds to the possibility in art.

[Virdilak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schoolbook that never left. Nice pictures.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

crazy art and crazy artists. I read this with a contemporary art class and it changed the way that I perceived and accepted art.

[Emily Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read it for school, but I love art like this. Some of it was a little over the top for me (plastic surgery as art? Yes, but NOOOOOO!)

[Greg Tatum · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now why again did I major in contemporary sculpture?