Art After Modernism: Rethinking Representation

by Brian Wallis (Editor), Marica Tucker (Foreword)

The waning of the century-old modernist movement in the arts has called forth an astonishing array of artistic and critical responses. The twenty-five essays in Art After Modernism provide a comprehensive survey of the most provocative directions taken by recent art and criticism, exploring such topics as the decline of the ideology of modernism in the arts and the emergence of a wide range of postmodern practices; recent directions in painting, film, video, and photography; visual artists' investigations of mass-media systems and imagery; and the dynamics of the social network in which art is produced and disseminated. This major collection is an indispensable guide to the ideas and issues animating this decade's art—the far-reaching cultural reorientation known as postmodernism.

Genres: Art, Theory, Art History, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Essays, Cultural Studies

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been years since I've read it, but it introduced me to all the then-in-fashion thinkers of post-structuralism: Foucault, Baudrillard, Barthes, Benjamin; and the then-in-fashion theoretical critics: Mulvey, Krauss, Foster, Hoberman, etc. And the book even introduced me to the avant-garde writer Kathy Acker. A lot of those articles changed how I approached and thought about art (and the world). It's not easy writing - in fact, most of it was horribly written and filled with jargon - but almost all of the essays were full of interesting and surprising points.

I esp. loved Rosalind Krauss' essay about the myth of the avant garde, and Foucault's essay. Just dive in, pick an essay, and see what you think. Read it the same way you listen to music on an iPod. Skip around, find stuff you like, ignore the other bullshit until you're ready for it.

I can't promise that it's good, and I can promise a lot of annoying writing, but it definitely left a deep impact.

[Godine Publisher & Black Sparrow Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praise for Art After Modernism

Wallis has fashioned an open intellectual forum that provides an important critical framework for understanding the art of our time.
—Artforum

One of this book's many virtues is its incitement to hard thinking, its persistent scraping away of naive myths clustered around the art-making enterprise.
—The Village Voice

Clearly the single most useful and provocative document on its subject yet published….
—Artweek

[Karie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read...lots of great articles and essays. I got it for a class and instead of skimming, I devoured the entire thing with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't decide whether I love or hate postmodernist critical theory, and this text only fuels my confusion.

[Ximena · Rating 3 out of 5]

ayno, larguísimo, formato grande, letras pequeñas, sesudo. Es un libro de consulta porque de otro modo muy difícil de leer de corrido, sólo porque me urgía entregar la reseña y me obligué a terminarlo. Lo bueno es que se aprende mucho y tiene textos muy importantes de la teoría literaria, crítica del arte, etc. etc., y puedes darte una empapada de los que significa la transición de la modernidad a la posmodernidad. Buenísimo para entender el desarrollo del arte contemporáneo y del cine, para ubicar las discusiones teóricas que se dieron en los setenta y ochenta y continúan dando frutos. Es un 10/10 para consulta.

[Thais Mather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry yet important

[Eric Xia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favorite books, probably my favorite art related one. The essays on science fiction and on the grid are both amazing and were super eye opening at the time

[Samaritasilee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un libro recopilatorio de artículos sobre el arte posmoderno escritos por autores coetáneos o precedentes. R. Krauss; M. Kelly; R. Barthes; H. Foster; J. Baudrillard; W. Benjamín... entre otros/as

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

hal Foster is awesome!!