The Tate Guide to Modern Art Terms

by Simon Wilson, Jessica Lack

How many times have you read the caption next to a work of art in a museum, or a review of a contemporary art exhibition in a magazine and found yourself none the wiser? For many, the language in which modern art is described can be as mystifying as the art itself. How necessary, then, to find a reliable guide through the confusing terminology that bedevils so much art writing. Drawing on the expertise of the most visited modern art museum in the world, The Tate Guide to Modern Art Terms provides a comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date resource for museum goers, art students, and general readers alike, comprehensive in scope but small enough to fit into a bag or pocket. From Abstract Expressionism and Body Art through Young British Artists (YBAs) and Group Zero, with hundreds of topics in between, every term, whether it be a theme, a movement, a medium, or a practice, is defined with clarity and precision. The entries are complemented by 50 illustrations.
International in scope, and ranging in time from the dawn of Impressionism through to the internet age, this is the perfect companion for all those wanting to increase their understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Reference

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Simon Wilson is an art historian & retired Tate Gallery curator (1967-2002).