The Art of Looking: How to Read Modern and Contemporary Art

by Lance Esplund

A veteran art critic helps us make sense of modern and contemporary art

The landscape of contemporary art has changed dramatically during the last hundred from Malevich's 1915 painting of a single black square and Duchamp's 1917 signed porcelain urinal to Jackson Pollock's midcentury "drip" paintings; Chris Burden's "Shoot" (1971), in which the artist was voluntarily shot in the arm with a rifle; Urs Fischer's "You" (2007), a giant hole dug in the floor of a New York gallery; and the conceptual and performance art of today's Ai Weiwei and Marina Abramovic. The shifts have left the art-viewing public (understandably) perplexed.


In The Art of Looking , renowned art critic Lance Esplund demonstrates that works of modern and contemporary art are not as indecipherable as they might seem. With patience, insight, and wit, Esplund guides us through the last century of art and empowers us to approach and appreciate it with new eyes. Eager to democratize genres that can feel inaccessible, Esplund encourages viewers to trust their own taste, guts, and common sense. The Art of Looking will open the eyes of viewers who think that recent art is obtuse, nonsensical, and irrelevant, as well as the eyes of those who believe that the art of the past has nothing to say to our present.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published November 27, 2018

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the survey-style breadth of this, but it lost a star for me when it took a hard left turn in the conclusion when there was a bizarre soapbox pulled out about art being too accessible and, I don’t know, inclusive? these days. Ughhhh

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been going to the art museums lately. My ex-wife is an artist and it was really her that opened this world up to me. This book no matter how hard the author try's; well he can't make yours truly
see and understand some of the abstract and modern art that's in these museums. Kandinsky and Du Champ I'm a Kandinsky man hands down. Mark Roth blows me away but only because of watching
the American Masters PBS show. Gerhard Richter could watch him paint till the cows come home.
In the book Mr. Esplund says it's OK if you don't like everything you see, that statement could not be any truer. A clarification here on Marcel Duchamp. I've seen one of his pieces stationed in a federal building many years back and to me it was terrible. But after viewing a documentary in January 2020 called " Marcel Duchamp" "The Art of the Possible" it forever changed my opinion of his art. It's incredible when learned minds can show you something you didn't know and drive it home.

[s.c. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars — the first half of the book was interesting and engaging, and then it kind of lost steam. The first part is a great introduction to modern and contemporary art, but the second half, to me, at least, as a reader who hasn’t spent a ton of time looking at and thinking critically about experimental visual art (my lack of familiarity with this topic was why I was drawn to the book in the first place, and probably part of why I enjoyed the first part so much), was harder to appreciate. maybe i’m just not the target audience for this book. Either way, it serves as a good introduction to modern and contemporary art, even if I might suggest skipping some of the later chapters. Engaging and thoughtful, overall.

[Zack Quaratella · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a complete novice when it comes to viewing art, I really enjoyed listening in to the musings of an experienced art critic. I recently went to the Pompidou, and left confused, shocked, and actually a little frightened by what I saw. And I wanted to know more. I can't wait to fall in love with a work of art in the ways suggested by the author, as I did only once in my life, with a painting about which I wrote a poem for class in college. The work was titled "The Queen of Hearts"by Gene Davis. I had no idea why this work struck me, but it stays with me still.

[nini · Rating 2 out of 5]

listen i did this to grasp contemporary art but it just told me i already knew what was going on which in the end was nothing.

[Katie Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a long read, one of my first non-fictions in a while. I bought this book bc I had read a book explaining how to recognize literary symbolism and I was like "Dang I want to learn that with art too." This was the only book I could find on ThriftBooks and it turned out to be about Modern and Contemporary art which was not what I was expecting actually. I was expecting to learn what it means if there's a skull in a painting or a blue robe. But this book instead taught me how to experience Modern art which is arguably cooler!

It discussed all the elements of art that contribute to the meaning of a piece. It really opened my eyes to all the aspects of art. The author could talk for pages about simple vertical and horizontal lines! Apparently vertical lines are symbols of the divine and horizontal are symbols of the Earthly plain. Oooo.

This book definitely expanded my conception of art and how to experience it. I look at art and also just things around me with a different perceptive eye now. I recommend it if you're interested in understanding art!

[Madye Stromboli · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was good and then really good and then fine and then boring and then good. also i know it’s an art book but how are you going to reference so so so many pieces of art and only include 3 pages of pictures

[Mary Berger-Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the five best books I read in 2018. It is brilliant!

If you like art - read this book NOW. You will be educated to better enjoy art and have your confidence validated.

[Errol Orhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As others have written before me, the first and the second part of the book are greatly disparate. Where the first part provides a handy, engaging and thoughtful introduction to the idea of modern and contemporary art as well as a guide to approaching art works, the second part is a collection of musings on individual pieces of art and their artists.

This second part does not get as much love as the first part. I felt lost in some of these musings, either because I either couldn't get a clear idea of the piece the author was writing about or because the piece really didn't interest me. I did not enjoy that.

However, in the last chapter of the book, the author puts this into perspective. Not all art is to be enjoyed by everybody. The beauty of art is about falling in love with an artist and their work, and enjoying it to its fullest. And in that way, the author practices exactly what he preaches. He shares his infatuations and profound relationships with modern and contemporary art with the readers. Not because he believes that we should love them too, but because he wants to show what loving art could mean for you. Which makes me eager to embark on my own journey and find out which relationships are in story for me.

[Karen Calhoun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. But it was sooooo hard to read. Not the words, but the continual references to this or that particular painting, other work of art or artist. If you could picture the item/person quickly in your mind, the text made good sense. There are only about 20 photographs in a central section, so even if the work of art references is included in these, you're flipping back and forth. Otherwise, you'll be googling 1 - 3 items per page. That may be OK with you, but for me it interrupts the flow of meaningly reading.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah, I quit. Boring and way too male gaze-y for my taste.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're curious about art and all the disciplines of art and most importantly why you should care this is your book. I've been someone who's been very passionate about art all my life and would call myself an artist and I really learned a lot more than I thought I would. I realized I myself had biases and it's interesting how I just could pass some art as there's nothing to get from some artists and/or their work. I was so wrong. Imagining that I could know everything about a painting but then to never be in the same room it's in is just one example of a missed opportunity. It reminds me when I was in Madrid many years ago and we visited the Prada and then I wanted to go and see Picasso's Guernica although I chose not to because I felt like what else am I going to get from it when I've studied it so much already. lI was so wrong. I then think of my grandmother who was an artist her whole life and studied all the masters. Basically consumed herself completely to art but she never went to the sistine chapel or the louvre or all the other amazing museums all around the world. Talk about a missed opportunity. It's just not the same as reading it from a book. I loved this book through and through. I gained so much perspective into artists I really wasn't that familiar with and who's art I would just pass up. Now I want to go back and experience it all again with fresh eyes and open heart.

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening. I have an issue with much modern art because I find it facile and too political. He does a good job of talking about some of the basics of what the artists are doing and the effects they are going for. I especially like his advice to spend time with the pieces that really speak to you and not feel bad about breezing past the rest. The biggest lesson for me was the one about movement in the compositions - how the tension of what is on top/ background, the angles, the direction the eye moves create a sense of movement and change in abstract works. Definitely not something I had absorbed before.
I like his breakdown of some of his favorite art pieces. Helped put some of the concepts in to practice. Also a very good reminder how everyone sees a different story in the same work. I enjoyed it very much, helps enrich one of my favorite hobbies - visiting museums.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not good. Modern art still lacks visual impressiveness, despite how much Mr. Esplund insists it has meaning and story. You just can't have a balloon under a blue light come close in value or worth to something like the Last Supper, or the Birth of Venus. Overall, if there is some intrinsic worth to these "works of art" in terms of their message, it certainly doesn't make them valuable. If message alone made art valuable, and message can be found in a splatter of paint which was dropped on a canvas, then art is the most worthless form of telling a message. It

[Anne]

I borrowed it and renewed it a million times from my public library. Then I borrowed it from another CSU library which has a generous but non-renewable checkout. And yet I never finished it. Yeah yeah yeah. I'm returning it now (ooops, a couple days late).

But for sure the first book in a million years I'm adding to my "I'll finish it someday, ok never" shelf. I'm super sad that this is the first time I've used that shelf in an eon.

Nonetheless, the bits about metaphor linger strongly in my mind.

[Jeffrey Bumiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was enjoyable. A very easy read. Esplund does not over complicate things and his writing just has this nice laid back flow to it. It's a very pleasant deep dive into various aspects of modern & contemporary art. 4 stars. Good stuff.

[Raynald Provost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un incroyable amour et enthousiasme pour l'art moderne. Il n'y a pas beaucoup d'illustrations. J'ai trouvé aisément les œuvres avec Google et J'ai donc lu ce livre d'une main (mdr) en appréciant la jubilation d'Esplund.

[Isabella Kerri Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was such a cool look into abstract art and really helped me connect with works better. I tend to not be able to finish non fiction books but this one kept me hooked with interesting ideas and perspectives. loved it!!

[202 unknown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Có 2 thứ mình đọc mà k thấm vô đầu lúc này là nghệ thuật và tôn giáo/tâm linh hic. Nên tạm thời k có cảm xúc gì với cuốn này. Và nên mở các bức tranh tương ứng trong lúc đọc để tiện chiêm ngưỡng đối chiếu.

Tựa Việt: Nghệ thuật chiêm ngưỡng

[Jason Marks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Verbose. Great conclusion.

[Susan Liston · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book began well, and the conclusion is well worth reading. As for the rest, well, to each his own, but he went off on spiels that were just a bit too artsy fartsy for me to follow.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the author's information about "looking at art" helpful. He certainly is passionate about art, and it is contagious. I was pleased when he said "Passion does not thrive in fits and starts".

[Bleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Richie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t grow up enjoying art, even though I got to visit some of the greatest art museums in the world. It wasn’t until a college trip to Rome when I witnessed Bernini’s sculpture and Caravaggio’s paintings that I paused and truly encountered art. I loved all the museums and churches we visited with some of the greatest classical art in the world.

But back in LA, modern art is all the rage, and I didn’t understand it. Trying to learn more, I went to the Broad, to LACMA, and even went through a recorded class from Biola online (I owe much to Jonathan Anderson’s lectures). But after conversations walking around the Guggenheim in NYC and half started conversations on art, I knew I needed to dive in deeper, and who better than with my book club?

Esplund gave me more than tools, but the ability to see art, whether modern or classic. It’s a dialogue, whether telling the story of a scene or tensions between white and black spaces. Art is objective AND subjective. You can like some things and not others, but you need to be open. He also isn’t super high brow; he’s approachable and admits when the Readmades are redundant and not art (if he considers them art at all! You’ll just have to read).

If you’re curious about Modern Art, love it, hate it, or just want to point out why something’s trash, I highly recommend this book.


As far as structure, the first half is mostly theory and the second half is analyzing pieces from paintings to performance art.

[Christopher Klug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encourages lingering, and I agree