Art Since 1989

World of Art

by Kelly Grovier

An extensive, accessible guide to the most groundbreaking and influential art from 1989 to the present The years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 have seen the rise of a new freedom to define art―Who makes it? Where can it be found? What is its commercial value?―and, consequently, the reevaluation of art’s place in society.

Kelly Grovier surveys the dynamic developments in art practice worldwide since 1989, focusing on artists whose fresh visual vocabulary and innovation reflect these past turbulent decades. The book’s ten chapters examine the key themes in contemporary art―portraiture in the age of face transplants and facial recognition software, political activism, science, and religion, to name a few―by artists including Jeff Koons, Louise Bourgeois, Damien Hirst, George Condo, Marlene Dumas, Sean Scully, Cindy Sherman, Banksy, Ai Weiwei, Antony Gormley, Christo and Jean-Claude, Jenny Holzer, Chuck Close, and Cornelia Parker. A chapter-length timeline at the end of the book traces the evolution of art from 1989 to today by closely examining one key artwork from each year.

Illustrated with the work of over 200 key artists, Art Since 1989 is a lucid and engaging look at what may prove to be one of the more tempestuous eras in human history, if not the history of art. 254 illustrations

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2015

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, Art Since 1989 is a very interesting read on contemporary art trends. It does a solid, but somewhat limited job of describing some of the ideas and techniques used in the art world today. Contemporary art itself does not fit into a single aesthetic or ideological track as in other periods of art history, such as Impressionism, Expressionism or Cubism, and because of this it is difficult for an author to make a concise account of it. But, Kelly Grovier does a good job, making each chapter about different subjects in art, such as the Portrait, the Figure, Abstraction and Science, and how they are being interpreted in contemporary art today. For the most part, he is successful, but I found him to be a bit wordy in some places (the author is apparently famous for inventing the word "synphrasis") and some of his interpretations I felt missed the mark (in my opinion, maybe others would find them more relevant). But, all in all, I found the book interesting if not a little scattered, and I enjoyed learning about some of the different contemporary artists and their work. The diversity of ideas and techniques in contemporary art is really fascinating!

[Elena Zhukova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of what has been going on in art in the last 30 years. It might not be a full list, but it touches all the major topics. I loved how Grovier managed to explain complex art objects in a simple yet knowledgeable manner. An inspiring book for anyone interested in contemporary art

Отличное описание эпохи гипса ;)

[Arina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Открытий не случилось, но в качестве справки - интересно.

[Elizabethbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Я не могу сходить в музей, но эта книга и есть музей.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this.

[Charlotte]

Classic book for students so I had to check it out. My MFA students loved it when I assigned chapters. With lots of pictures to illustrate the ideas, the themes are addressed from a global perspective. This is not an in-depth look at contemporary art, but offers a topical introduction.