ArtQuake: The Most Disruptive Works in Modern Art

by Susie Hodge

Discover art that dared to be different, risked reputations and put careers in jeopardy. This is what happens when artists take tradition and rip it up.

ArtQuake tells the stories of 50 pivotal works that shook the world, telling the fascinating stories behind their creation, reception and legacy. Causing fascination and intrigue in some, repulse and scorn in others, these cutting-edge totems celebrated novelty and innovation and defined twentieth-century art. From Gustave Courbet'sThe Bathers (1853) to Marcel Duchamp's Fountain (1917); Yves Klein's Anthropology Performance (1960) to Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party (1974-9); Andres Serrano's Piss Christ (1987) to Banksy's Love is in the Bin (2018) - meet huge egos, uncompromising feminists, gifted recluses, spiritualists, anti-consumerists, activists, satirists and more. In telling the history of Modern and Contemporary Art through the pieces that were truly disruptive, and explaining the context in which each was created, ArtQuake demonstrates the heart of modern art, which is to constantly question and challenge expectation.

ArtQuake is an alternative introduction to modern art, focusing on the stories of 50 key artworks that questioned boundaries, challenged the status quo and made shockwaves we are still feeling today.

This is the first in a new series introducing the most disruptive cultural moments of the past 150 years. See also FilmQuake (September 2021), MusicQuake and FashionQuake (both September 2022).

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A basic, but beautifully illustrated tour of modern and postmodern (Western) art history and the works of art that exemplify the major revolutions and movements. The usual suspects are all here (e.g., Van Gogh, Duchamp, Warhol, Basquiat). Not groundbreaking in its selection or point of view, but a really good look at the mainstream of art's recent evolution.

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

[Elana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like a scholar or something reading a nonfiction textbook type thing. But this was actually so interesting. As someone really interested in art history, this book was a good starting point to get me familiar with the subject, especially within the context of modern art and the movements that were started. I can’t wait to dive into more books like this.

☞ 4 stars (really liked it)

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interest dive into the world of art, specifically art that is very controversial in nature. The book starts off in the past and goes into the present, detailing different works of art and what made them so groundbreaking and shocking. I really enjoyed the coverage this book gave and the depth it went into!

[Mia Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really spoke about other artist throughout the years from before technology to now. Also spoke about movements between those times that were interesting to learn about like Hitler wanted to do art?! Who ever knew that and he couldn’t do it so he had other artist make word devoted to him. Stuff like that and more you find out which is really fascinating

[Alice Prinzis · Rating 3 out of 5]

molto comodo per avere un'idea chiara degli avvenimenti in ordine cronologico. Ho messo solo tre stelle perchè vorrei si fosse soffermato di più su ogni artista.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following quickly on from Filmquake, which does the same for cinema, this gives us fifty key, semi-canonical moments of the art world of the Victorian era up, taking us from Courbet's "The Bathers" to, well, other dodgy art pieces concerning nudity for spurious reasons. So a shark gets pickled, a pope gets struck by a meteorite, someone takes the piss with a urinal, someone else does worse with shit, and someone gets to call something a "Decontextualization of an Action, Unannounced Performance, Behaviour Art" as if invisible theatre wasn't a thing fifty years previously. (Mind you, as regards the last piece, what the heffing kell are those men wearing only pink knickers and nothing else doing??!!)

Once again the book is structured around the timelines, to point out not only that each painting, happening and sculpture exists as a point in time, but equally as a section and chapter of a longer, wide-reaching narrative. The text labours this at times, demanding we accept each artist influenced each other, and built a bridge from A to C, wherever C was (probably somewhere involving nudity or shit). This clearly isn't a general narrative of 20th Century art – Rothko is absent visually; Christo and Jeanne-Claude get a name-check, but none of their works are here; Land Art ignored for being too subtle. But in being a guide to what artists have done (and still do) to get known, to make a difference and to make something different, this is a powerful survey, never extending its essays and box-outs beyond the necessary basics (pink knickers notwithstanding), and appropriately showing the cycle of real life influencing art influencing real life ad infinitum. Not exactly one for the vicar's wife at times, this is still an enjoyable slice of entertaining education. A strong four stars.

Filmquake :- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

ArtQuake by Susie Hodge is a volume in the Culture Quake series and does a remarkable job of showing how these 50 works of art, some well-known some lesser known, "disrupted" the art world and in many cases the world beyond.

Like the other book in the series, FilmQuake, this is not about whether the reader or even Hodge "likes" each work. This is about how each one responded to its moment in history and what influence it had on what came after. Also just like the other volume, this will appeal both to novices as well as those more knowledgeable in art history. Anyone who claims they are so "versed" that either book wasn't that interesting to them is posing, and doing so horribly. Those who are knowledgeable or "versed" are always looking at ways of making new connections between works, between a work and its historical context, and in framing the larger history in slightly different ways. It isn't even always about "new" information but about juxtaposing known information with other things that might not always be discussed together.

These entries make for a type of history of modern art if read straight through but the book would also make a nice companion for those times when you want to read something but don't have time to jump back into that novel you're reading or the nonfiction book that is making a larger argument that requires some mental commitment every time you read. This is like the book of short stories or essays that you can pick up whenever you have a few minutes, then you can think about what you read when you go back to whatever you have to do.

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

[Moonkiszt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trip around the art world in 50 stops, all within the context of time bites, with (of the ideas presented in each bite) my favs highlighted:

1850-1909 - the idea that painting just regular life had a place in art

1910-1926 - the idea that art has a voice to present social statement

1927-1955 - the idea that some who are grouped in a certain group never considered themselves part of that group: Frida Kahlo - often associated with Surrealists, always said she wasn't one - 'I never paint dreams or nightmares. I paint my own reality.'

1956-1989 - the idea that some things never change - the Guerrilla Girls poster that says - Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum? Less than 4% of the artists in the Modern Art sections are women, but 76% of the nudes are female.

1990-present (2021) - the idea of art as a means to invite discussion about societal concerns. A Subtlety by Kara Walker: a large sphinx-like, sugar-coated sculpture in an old (about to be demolished) sugar factory - with the likeness of an African woman in headscarf - acknowledging our trouble histories . . .The exhibition instigated conversations about the work's themes of racism, sexuality, oppression, slavery, power, control and labour."

A good read, and very educating. Use of timelines for context and well illustrated with a variety of mediums.

[Nette · Rating 5 out of 5]

"ArtQuake" as the title indicates shows you what has shaken up the art world, certain artists, their works, and even periods in history. You learn so much from how "ArtQuake" has divided the art periods, the timelines were a favorite of mine because it was separated for each art period, not just one huge timeline which I certainly appreciate and you can identify exactly when each art period began and what was happening in the world at that time. The artworks that were chosen, in "ArtQuake", to be discussed and which created such criticisms at that time the pieces were made, certainly lets you understand how controlled the art scene was, and although there's a reason for it all, and putting yourself during those time periods you can see how the certain artworks really gave critics something to talk about.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really, really interesting book. Full of fascinating facts, stories and artwork. However, the formatting and font of the book made it rather difficult to read in a e-book format. The words almost appear blurry on the tablet screen and it is rather hard to focus on the reading. So this is a book that I would recommend to definitely get in a print edition - especially a hardcover one.
This book is basically a really good coffee-table book that you wouldn't mind having out cause you'll actually read it.
The pictures, descriptions and stories included in this book are excellent. This does not shy away from the not so nice parts of the art movements and the artists in them.
A fun read, unique and full of details.

[Chris Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest I wasn't expecting much from this: it's not a particularly thick book, so it was never going to cover 50 pieces of art in much depth.

Yet it does a reasonable job - though I'd question whether some of the pieces could be called 'disruptive'. (Probably the most disruptive art in recent years has been the Charlie Hebdo cartoons - these aren't included here; maybe due to their commissioning)

This is probably most suited for someone wanting a general awareness of the subject; if you’re already familiar with the art you’re unlikely to get much out of it.

[Ace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really informative and interesting look at art history, with a slightly humourous and more entertaining lens.
Just because it's about history and a serious subject, doesn't mean that it has to be dry and boring, which I was incredibly impressed about.

A comprehensive look at both well known and lesser known artists, with detailed information about the creation of famous works and not just the pieces themselves.

[JCS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book cleverly guides us through a history of art which starts with the familiar and shows how long standing traditions were broken. In five sections, and written in chronological order, starting in 1850, the reader is shown how art and its boundaries changed over time. A fascinating account with excellent illustrations. Thank you to Susie Hodge, Net Galley and Frances Lincoln for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[John Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, and it broadened my appreciation for some of the more 'out there' art works.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the history of modern art. I especially liked the time lines dotted throughout the book that help to put into perspective the various artistic movements.

[Emily Wang]

This doesn’t even feel like it should count.

But at least it introduced me to Mona Hatoum!

[Anya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art Quake turned out to be a highly interesting book about 50 of the most known and disruptive pieces of artwork in history. The layout of the book was extremely well done and it was easy to digest all the information.
This would make a fabulous addition to any coffee table book collection.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can now show a bit more respect for modern contemporary art

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable gallop through fifty works of art that the author deemed to have changed the world and how we perceive it as much as the art world itself. Starting with the Victorians this moves to the present day with the advent and rise of digital art, even including a small section on NFT's which are currently taking the art world by storm.

I felt there was a good selection of interesting, relevant artworks here, that ranged both across the disciplines and the sexes to make this more inclusive than a lot of works that grace the shelves in the art sections of book shops currently. One would have hoped, in a book that talks about disruption to artistic traditions that this would be the case, so it is nice to see it delivers what it promises.

Each featured work has clear images that allow you to see what the author is talking about (by no means a given) and short, but intelligent prose passages that encapsulate the art, the artwork and the time in which it was made.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this amazing book. It was so full of wonderful and obscure works of art that shocked the art world. That started new era's in art. The pictures were stunning and it was so well wrote. You could tell the author had excellent knowledge and it was well researched. I enjoyed every second of this book. I think this is a brilliant book that everyone with an interest in art will love. The layout was brilliant and it moved through in chronological order. I really can't recommend this book enough. I have always loved reading about controversial issues in the art world. I really learnt so much while reading this book.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for putting together this wonderful book that we can all learn from and thoroughly enjoy. I can't wait to read more this author and publishers.

[Juan Carlos Reyes García · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoever designed this book truly deserves a raise. If you are into collecting beautiful good-quality books you must stop reading this and get your copy now.

However, I feel that Hodge could have written more in-depth about the many other artists that were mentioned in the book. If Hodge had chosen to write about a minimum of 75 artworks -instead of the original 50- her book would be considered way more thorough.

It’s a shame she stopped at 50 works, if she had written about 150+ works I would have been even happier.