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Jeremy Deller: Art is Magic
In this unique artist’s book/autobiography, Deller reflects on his 30-year career of politically engaged art With his playful, political and provocative work borrowing from many forms and produced over many mediums, Turner Prize–winning British artist Jeremy Deller (born 1966) enjoys critical acclaim across the world. His projects over the past two decades, such as Battle of Orgreave (2001) and We're Here Because We're Here (2016), as well as the documentary Everybody in the An Incomplete History of Britain 1984–1992 (2019), have greatly influenced the map of contemporary art.
Art is Magic is the first publication in which Deller reflects on the entirety of his career, his life and his art. Interviews with figures as diverse as Mary Beard and Jonny Banger punctuate Deller’s reflections, as do artworks from numerous contemporaries of Deller’s, including Nick Abrahams, Tasha Amini, Olivier Antoine of Art Concept, Cecilia Bengolea and Sean Bidder.
Art is Magic is the first publication in which Deller reflects on the entirety of his career, his life and his art. Interviews with figures as diverse as Mary Beard and Jonny Banger punctuate Deller’s reflections, as do artworks from numerous contemporaries of Deller’s, including Nick Abrahams, Tasha Amini, Olivier Antoine of Art Concept, Cecilia Bengolea and Sean Bidder.
- GenresArtNonfiction
240 pages, Hardcover
Published November 7, 2023
11 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 10, 2023
“Cronysim is English for Corruption”
Oh man do yourself a favour, don’t waste your time reading this review, and instead go onto YT and watch Deller’s excellent “Everybody In The Place” followed by all the rest of his stuff you can get access to.
CULTURE WAR MEMORIAL
“A memorial to family and friends who have been radicalised and lost to us through disinformation and conspiracy theories. It will take the form of an apparently bottomless sink-hole.”
I only really discovered Deller’s art relatively recently and I have to say I find his work absolutely fascinating. He is devoid of the pretentiousness that can blight so much of the art landscape, and has a way of getting deep to the heart of his subjects, making them accessible as well as hugely enjoyable.
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN REFUGEE
AN ONGOING MEMORIAL TO EXTINCT PLANTS AND ANIMALS
This is political, its angry, but there's a lot more going on in here too, there's plenty of joy and fun too. its playful and never takes itself too seriously. This book is really nicely put together, well bound, solid weight and filled with good quality colouring and I suppose it would make a great gift for someone.
A MONUMENT TO MONEY LAUNDERING
“Take any high-rise new-build in central London and designate it a ready-made monument to money laundering.”
One minor thing I would challenge and disagree with him on would be his comment on Stonehenge being a national obsession in the UK, I cannot speak for Wales or N Ireland, but I can’t think of anyone who really gave a shit about it in Scotland?...And don’t recall it being much of a topic, so perhaps like Brexit, UKIP, pork scratchings, privatising water and education it’s really more an English thing than a British one.
A MEMORIAL TO CIVILIAN DEAD IN THE VIETNAM WAR
“Maya Lin’s memorial in Washington DC to 58,220 US military deaths in Vietnam is a celebrated piece of civic remembrance. A parallel memorial to the Vietnamese civilians who died in the conflict will be built, that imitates the form of Lin’s with the names of the 2 million dead. At 34 time longer, it will stretch for 1.6 miles along the length of the Washington Mall to the Capitol Reflecting Pool.”
Oh man do yourself a favour, don’t waste your time reading this review, and instead go onto YT and watch Deller’s excellent “Everybody In The Place” followed by all the rest of his stuff you can get access to.
CULTURE WAR MEMORIAL
“A memorial to family and friends who have been radicalised and lost to us through disinformation and conspiracy theories. It will take the form of an apparently bottomless sink-hole.”
I only really discovered Deller’s art relatively recently and I have to say I find his work absolutely fascinating. He is devoid of the pretentiousness that can blight so much of the art landscape, and has a way of getting deep to the heart of his subjects, making them accessible as well as hugely enjoyable.
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN REFUGEE
AN ONGOING MEMORIAL TO EXTINCT PLANTS AND ANIMALS
This is political, its angry, but there's a lot more going on in here too, there's plenty of joy and fun too. its playful and never takes itself too seriously. This book is really nicely put together, well bound, solid weight and filled with good quality colouring and I suppose it would make a great gift for someone.
A MONUMENT TO MONEY LAUNDERING
“Take any high-rise new-build in central London and designate it a ready-made monument to money laundering.”
One minor thing I would challenge and disagree with him on would be his comment on Stonehenge being a national obsession in the UK, I cannot speak for Wales or N Ireland, but I can’t think of anyone who really gave a shit about it in Scotland?...And don’t recall it being much of a topic, so perhaps like Brexit, UKIP, pork scratchings, privatising water and education it’s really more an English thing than a British one.
A MEMORIAL TO CIVILIAN DEAD IN THE VIETNAM WAR
“Maya Lin’s memorial in Washington DC to 58,220 US military deaths in Vietnam is a celebrated piece of civic remembrance. A parallel memorial to the Vietnamese civilians who died in the conflict will be built, that imitates the form of Lin’s with the names of the 2 million dead. At 34 time longer, it will stretch for 1.6 miles along the length of the Washington Mall to the Capitol Reflecting Pool.”
May 23, 2023
actually reading my artist books for once and not just looking at the pictures, loved this, going through my obsessed with JD phase right now
April 27, 2023
This book is an enjoyable look back across 30 years worth of artworks by Jeremy Deller - from his playful inflatable Stonehenge to his poignant intervention where soldiers in World War I uniforms turned up at stations.
It's filled with fun anecdotes about his life and work, and interviews about how his works come together. His work is really accessible and the book is also written in the same vein.
It's filled with fun anecdotes about his life and work, and interviews about how his works come together. His work is really accessible and the book is also written in the same vein.
August 16, 2023
An in depth look at the work and inspirations of one of the most interesting artists currently working in Britain.
July 31, 2024
Ha brilliant reminder of all the poking at the art establishment he’s done.
January 12, 2025
For absolutely anyone who makes any form of art.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews