Frameworks for Modern Art

by Professor Jason Gaiger (Editor)

This generously illustrated volume, the first in the Art in the Twentieth Century series, introduces and explores a range of contemporary issues and debates about art and its place in the wider culture today. The opening chapter discusses key concepts such as modernity, modernism, autonomy, spectatorship and globalisation. It is followed by four case studies, each of which is devoted to a specific work of art chosen from across the span of the Marcel Duchamp's Bottlerack, Barnett Newman's Eve, Ana Mendieta's Silueta series, and Yarla by the Australian Aboriginal Yuendumu community. These works have been selected not only for their intrinsic interest, but for the way in which they open up wider questions of meaning and interpretation that are central to understanding twentieth-century art.

Genres: Art

272 pages, Hardcover

First published February 9, 2004

Reviews

[Martin Ridgway]

This is one of four books that covered the Open University course Art of the Twentieth Century.
This one (part one) provides the introduction to the scope and topics of the course via five lengthy essays: a general introduction and then four detailed case studies around specific works or installations (using one of the OU's favourite methods, going from the particular to the general) and that's a good way into the subject.

[Helena]

a very good introduction to the Art of the 20th century, and its key concepts.