L'arte contemporanea: Un panorama globale

by Tony Godfrey, Chiara Stangalino (Translator)

L’arte contemporanea è spesso provocatoria, può sconcertare o divertire, destare perplessità e talvolta scandalizzare. Cosa significa? È davvero arte? E poi, perché è così cara? I libri che cercano risposte a queste domande non mancano, ma spesso lasciano il lettore confuso, sopraffatto da un linguaggio impenetrabile o sviato da argomentazioni faziose. Attento al lavoro di artisti di tutto il mondo, appartenenti a culture e tradizioni diversissime, sempre vivace nello stile, il libro di Tony Godfrey vuol essere una guida originale per orientarsi nella storia dell’arte degli ultimi quarant’anni. L’autore è convinto che per capire l’arte contemporanea sia necessario saper ascoltare molte voci: di critici, teorici, curatori, collezionisti, ma anche degli stessi artisti e del pubblico. L’analisi si struttura intorno a sequenze di svolte creative e accese discussioni su cosa sia o dovrebbe essere l’arte, contestualizza e seleziona le opere più rappresentative dei principali artisti oggi in attività dalle Americhe all’Estremo Oriente, fornendo un’interessante e accessibile introduzione a un tema pieno di fascino e fonte di continue sorprese ed emozioni.

«Abbiamo tutti un’idea di cosa si intende per stile tardo di un pittore: Tiziano, Rembrandt, Guston e altri ce ne hanno offerto validi esempi. Ma cosa possiamo dire degli artisti che lavorano con le installazioni, la fotografia o la performance? Come raggiungono uno stile maturo? Durante la Biennale di Bangkok del 2018 mi sono avventurato in un grande centro commerciale e vedendo l’enorme installazione di Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkins, mi sono chiesto se rappresentasse il suo stile tardo. Certo, era spettacolare! Ma il concetto di “stile” pare inappropriato per la mania ossessiva di Kusama di coprire il mondo di pois. Quello che è cambiato è l’atteggiamento e la comprensione del pubblico nei confronti del suo lavoro: tra le altre cose, la gente è impressionata dalla sua costanza, e oggi fa la fila in tutto il mondo per entrare nelle sue Infinity Mirror Rooms, nonostante non siano poi così diverse da quella che realizzò più di cinquant’anni fa, anche se la tecnologia è molto migliorata».

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History, History

280 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2020

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "comforting, respectful, avuncular" stars !!!



Elefante azul by Beatriz Milhazes (2002)

10th Favorite Read of 2021 Award

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and MIT press for an e-copy. This was released in November 2020. I am providing my honest review.

I found this book to be absolutely extraordinary and superb. Mr. Godfrey has provided the intelligent general reader an introduction and guide to worldwide contemporary art since 1980. This book was like touring the world galleries, art fairs, sculpture gardens, bienniales and urban centres with a favorite erudite uncle. This lovely uncle wears smoking jackets, smells of pipes and sandalwood and with his soft manicured hands takes you by the arm and patiently, kindly even lovingly takes you around to see all the many facets of the art world. He certainly has opinions that he shares but more importantly he provides you with context, primers on philosophy and aesthetics and provides you with questions so that you can decide for yourself what is your experience and thinking about all the strands of art that he presents.

I felt nostalgic reading about some of these artists and exhibits as I have experienced some of them if they had a residence in Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, New Mexico or Arizona. I was often flooded with remembered emotion of the experience while witnessing the work and being moved, repulsed, angered or in a state of sublime bliss.

This book was such a balm for me as contemporary art is not only about beauty and wealth but for cultural exchange, healing and social justice awareness. In the most indirect way this triggered a yearning for me to keep exploring my own creative pursuits whether it be through music, writing or craft and to finally set up my easel and do some intuitive painting.

This book was a pleasure to read, a joy to behold and hope that art can continue to pave the way to linking us to each other, to beauty and societal change.

Thank you Mr. Godfrey !


Olafur Eliasson -The Weather Project( 2003)

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explosion, devolution, decoherence, the story of contemporary art seems to be one of new techniques, new voices, and new ways of doing old techniques (the author spends a lot of time on the revival of paining). A book that spans painting, sculpture, installation art, conceptual art, textiles, pottery, and numerous hybrid forms is going to necessarily be slightly cursory, but it was impressive how many artists from many different countries and traditions were covered. One thing I didn't expect, and was quite interesting, was the continuous tension between art and the art market, how certain types of art and certain artistic forums (such as bienniales) seemed to be strongly influenced by what would sell. A good, compact introduction that whetted my appetite for more.

**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[David Wineberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the world struggles with democracy’s waxing and waning, art has democratized like nothing else. Artists can be found everywhere. Exhibitions now feature women artists almost as much as men, where there had been few to none at all just within our lifetimes. Into this flood of art has stepped Tony Godfrey. His new book, The Story of Contemporary Art has set itself the rather monumental task of explaining the state of art today, and how it got here. For those of us who can’t keep possibly up, it is a valuable tool.

Godfrey is a fan. He has managed to keep up over the past 40 years. He visits the exhibitions and biennales all over the world. He patiently absorbs what he sees, trying to find a way to appreciate it. He has done the research into the lives of the artists. It is not all New York and London. It is Kenya and Germany and Indonesia, Mexico, Canada and China. As a horizon-broadener, the book succeeds wonderfully.

The problem is the art itself. As Godfrey goes through the decades, readers will discover that painting died. It was “outmoded, exhausted, obsolete and reactionary.” Artists rejected it and resented it as limited and limiting. It has of course come back from the rubbish bin, but it has been superseded by a welter of alternatives like conceptual art, performance art, altered photographs, films, videos and what are known as installations. These pop-up, usually intensely elaborate structures, take up entire halls and are promptly dismantled after the exhibition.

The films do not circulate widely, performance art is ephemeral, and sculpture has become indecipherable. The art world is tilting towards anarchy. There are “so many different types of art, it is difficult to be responsive to all of them.” Godfrey rationalizes it by saying “However precious the object, picture or installation, it is the experience we might have when viewing and thinking about it that truly matters.” So art no longer speaks for itself.

None of it seems to be led by any kind of star. There don’t appear to be any artist giants. Godfrey admits “No one working today has the range of Picasso.” On the other hand, artists are doing better than they ever have. Their pieces sell for millions. The pools of money floating around the world have spilled into the pockets of artists, some of whom have become famous primarily because some piece of theirs sold at an auction for numerous times the estimated price. It doesn’t have to make sense; it’s the art market.
Like Godfrey, I have found that artists’ films tend to be way too long – numerous hours – and nothing whatsoever happens in them. This seems to be popular among artists. Less so among viewers. Installations are disposable. Sculptures leave no impression. Performance art is here and gone in an instant. It all seems so forgettable.

The difference I have noticed, that I hoped Godfrey would dispel, is that contemporary art always seems to need a crutch. It has to be explained to be appreciated. Merely seeing it is insufficient. One has to know about the artist, what environment s/he came from, what politics they profess, and what goals they have for their art. This is a layer of complexity that prior art does not suffer from. To me, art has value when you want to keep looking at it – for years. Art that you want to have in front of you all the time, and appreciate it for just what it is: strong theme, attractive/shocking subject, excellent execution, and most of all, an emotional connection. There seems to be enormously little of this in contemporary art.

Towards the end, Godfrey admits he has a tendency to agree. He even finds the contemporary artists he really likes are inconsistent. As they age, their work varies from fascinating to clinical to dull. Worse, it can become repetitive – just more of the same. “Compared to the previous periods, there is little consensus today on what is good and what is not... Judgments are further skewed because few art critics today are keen on painting.” To that, I have my own complaint to add: innovation without inspiration. The overarching need to appear different for the sake of being different.

The book introduces readers to a long list of names that will likely be unfamiliar. He does not dawdle on the household names very long, mostly showing how much money they are making. For the rest, there are necessary examples to show what Godfrey talks about. It is well-structured and most helpful. Sadly, it did not change my mind.

David Wineberg

For accompanying images of the art in question, see this same review at https://medium.com/the-straight-dope/...

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was very much the book I expected, and yet not. In conveying a narrative history of modern art, and latching on to the story through the approach of the morals of art, the growth in female participants and those from the third world, the great wealth of the people who pretend to like it and buy it, and so on, we cover the ground lightly at first post-War, but then get into more heavy detail. It's still always readable, mind – however pompous the interview quotes get our author himself never approaches Pseuds' Corner, let along descends into it head-first like some. The book is a fine one – only a few times dumping the middle of the image down the centre of the spread between the pages, and generally respecting the reproductions presented here, and hardly ever bringing the author and his opinions into his narrative. But as I say, it wasn't quite what I expected, partly because it featured so much that was new to me. I read it and found nothing about the YBAs, and beyond Hirst being mentioned a bit they are all absent. There is no Turner Prize, no elephant dung, no concrete casts of unseen spaces (well, actually there is, but not from whom I'd thought to find it).

Our author knows his stuff, then, in packing these pages with people of whom many outside this rarefied world will never have heard. Gormley is by far the most populist this gets. It's lucky then that it is so pictorial, for mentioning so many creators the average interested reader will be new to would be little use else. There are a few instances of it being a little too insular (Joseph Beuys is held up as a sine qua non too often, and we're not fully shown why), but not enough to cause a problem. The irrefutable problem is that ninety nine per cent of the stuff the artists concerned have been represented by here is absolute cack. It's a stunt, or a film, and if it's not a pipe it's because it's a satanic bed of flame on a 'happening' floor that could well have killed someone. This book is brilliant at presenting all this to the general reader, and is a lot more salutary than witnessing much of it in the flesh. Four and a half stars.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earnest, Informative, Wide Ranging, Unconvincing

This is a congenial, well informed, and very accessible introduction to contemporary art. It sketches out the outlines of the field, and introduces the reader to many of the best known or most appreciated artists. There are any number of engaging insights and perceptive observations about where it all started and where it's all headed. Plates and examples are reasonably abundant and well chosen to illustrate points being made.

My only problem with the book is that for most of the artists, what they have created is of little interest, and the point seems to be for the artist to talk, unrelentingly and obliviously, about their art, their vision, and the meaning and point of their creations. Would you rather read a good book or sit through a bunch of authors at a writing conference pontificating about the act of writing? Same here. Apart from the very engaging narrative voice of the author, most of the book consists of artists blathering. It is high end, intellectual, well practiced, exquisitely artsy blather, but blather nonetheless.

So, if you want to learn about contemporary art, this is a good place to start. If you have a high tolerance for art-talk this will work even better. If you are especially sensitive to pretension, well, you probably won't find reason to fault the author, but there will be plenty of quoted artists who will exhaust your patience pretty quickly. I don't know if that's a recommendation or a warning, but there it is.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Emily Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sometimes you might disagree with my opinion, but that's great! It means we are having a discussion. And contemporary art is all about discussion."

As someone with very little knowledge of art, Tony Godfrey did an incredible job charting the movement of contemporary art from the 1960s to present. His genuine desire to make art clear and meaningful to all levels of education, experience, and age groups is shines clearly in his unpretentious writing uncluttered by academic jargon.

This book is particularly revolutionary to me as Godfrey includes artists inside and outside the Western canon, and marginalised groups previously hidden from the spotlight. He shirks his own opinions, instead including a variety of different opinions on each artist, ensuring the reader can build their own ideas.

He tackles the globalisation of art, the role of money in art, art in the age of Surveillance Capitalism. The building of a narrative of how contemporary art was influenced by outward and inward forces was engaging and contextualised otherwise hopelessly incomprehensible art.

Godfrey ends with "If you want to look at art - and I hope you do! - I can't tell you where to go as I don't now where you live, but I would suggest looking at art with a friend: we learn so much by discussing our varying reaction."

This encapsulates the whole book for me: making art accessible, and sharing art with everyone. Feeling that art with others, and the human fascination with art and how it can mean so many different things to everyone.

As he says: Art can be fun!

[TheLastMango · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved that there were full color photos of many of the artworks!! did feel a little disjointed in moving from artist to artist quickly - i think breadth was sacrificed for depth here to be more widely accessible. however i think if you're not already interested in art history/don't have some experience in thinking about art more critically, it might be too all over the place.

also interesting to see that a book published in 2020 includes (among a few other questionable opinions/phrases): "he had also become a transvestite" and says "Chinese artists are often wittier and funnier than people realize"

[Camila Braci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro di storia dell’arte contemporanea che parla in maniera chiara e gentile, anche soggettiva, nella selezione degli artisti. Ho apprezzato enormemente l’entusiasmo, la sincerità di Godfrey e la presenza di documentazione fotografica per la maggior parte delle opere citate, cosa non scontata. Devo, però, lamentare la maniera poco fluida di aprire alcuni periodi, forse artificiale, con cambi di tema troppo netti, stonanti.
Non lo consiglio come testo introduttivo al discorso, è sicuramente necessario integrare altri manuali (cosa che anche l’autore suggerisce), ma come testo della sincerità, dei buoni propositi e della responsabilità rispetto al proprio senso critico.

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Story of Contemporary Art by Tony Godfrey is a wonderful survey that touches most of the threads that run through contemporary art without getting either too bogged down or too obscure.

As a "story" it works very well, Godfrey makes connections and discusses what was responding to what. This is not, nor is it intended to be, an exhaustive deep history with mentions of every artist, it does include good representatives to make the story a coherent whole. If you're at all familiar with contemporary art you will likely feel that someone has been left out or someone included you don't think should be. Such is the nature of this type of book and to beat the subject to death says more about the reader doing so than the book. But thee delusional like to give the impression they are more qualified, so let the small people believe what they want, it isn't hurting anyone. This book points readers in directions to learn more or discover new movements, and that is important in keeping art alive and relevant and not an insulated unimportant luxury for the few.

Many readers, like myself, will be familiar with most of the artists mentioned, though not all. What Godfrey does for us is put all of these artists and groups in conversation with each other. More accurately, perhaps, is that he shows us what those ongoing conversations are so we can better understand the why of many of the works.

I would highly recommend this to both the casual art lover and the more serious connoisseur. Having a handy overview that connects some dots and contextualizes the work is always a joy to have around.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book! The text is written in a relatable, engaging way, and doesn't talk down to the reader or talk over the reader's head. The author doesn't overwhelm the text with hundreds of artists, but manages to discuss quite a lot of artists nonetheless. It was interesting learning about all the changes art has gone through in a relatively short amount of time, and while I didn't like every work included in the book, I found some cool new artists to appreciate! New to me, anyway! Perfect for any art student, art aficionado, or anyone who wants to learn more about contemporary art.

#TheStoryofContemporaryArt #NetGalley

[Martin Pescatore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, has lots of pictures, will leave you with a great curiosity about contemporary art

[A. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of the book I expected, but yet not. Charts a survey of contemporary art from the 1960s to the present, claiming to pick up where Gombrich left off in his magisterial the Story of Art. At times it reads like a catalogue of lists of names of artists, their artworks and a description; but some paragraphs give the much-needed general context to the works- although it is rather thin. The author also discusses some questions that are at the heart of the art world today- auction art vs biennale art, abstraction or narrative, national or global, the spectacular or the everyday, the rise of installation art and contemporary sculpture, the return of painting and the importance of photography, art in the age of surveillance capitalism, art in the age of high commercial prices. Also the gradual globalization of art and inclusion of more women artists, as well as the eclipse of the ideology of the individual genius which is replaced by working in groups. Also the social and political messaging which is at the heart of contemporary artworks.

4 stars for being a good introduction to the art world today. I could not however help being disappointed by much of contemporary art (and I do not consider myself a reactionary- in fact I was rather looking forward to this book). The questions that popped recurrently to mind are: 'That's it? That's all the creativity on display? That's all there is to contemporary art?'. A lot of it seems rather cheap and kitschy. I find myself unable to empathize with much of the artists' aims. Of course there were a few gems and the other works will doubtless need time to sink in. Doubtless it'll grow on me. Or not. Let's see.

[janne Boswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!
"Art can be defined as that which is different, that which is speacial, as something that is meaningful."
This was an out of the box book on Contemporary Art. I studied Art History in college and I am always looking for books that offers a clue as to the who, what, where and why of Art without the intellectual blah, blah, blah.
Although there were meanderings from Artists throughout the book, the substance was straight forward and relatable.
I thought it provided an overview of where we once were and now, where we are going, in a progressive, more unilateral approach that does not get caught up in logistics.
In the end, who really knows?

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

In questo libro vengono esposte alcune delle opere più importanti e/o iconiche di artisti poco noti, se non addirittura sconosciuti ai più, accompagnati da una spiegazione sugli sviluppi dell'arte contemporanea dagli anni '60 fino ad oggi.
Molto apprezzato il fatto che sia un libro d'arte che può essere alla portata di tutti, anche dei curiosi poiché, per fortuna, il libro è completamente privo di quegli insopportabili pipponi accademici tipici di alcuni esperti del settore che usano per riempirsi la bocca di paroloni inutili. Quella di Godfrey è una spiegazione ricca e dettagliata ma molto coinvolgente e interessante. 3.5/5 ⭐️

[m Addams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read on contemporary art

Really enjoyed this intelligent book on contemporary art. Lots of thoughtful discussions of so many lesser known artists. A great resource and starting point.

[Chris Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent.

[Madge · Rating 5 out of 5]

the bible

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://www.osservatoriofutura.it/lar...