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Art Speak: A Guide to Contemporary Ideas, Movements, and Buzzwords
This little volume contains nearly 120 entries which clearly explain the who, what, where, and when of American and European art since 1945. Fifty-six black-and-white illustrations enliven the text, and 28 color plates are interwoven with an invaluable timeline of world and art world events from 1945 to 1996. A one-page ArtChart provides a handy overview of the major art movements during the same period.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 12, 2015
It’s been a long time since I studied art history, decades before the internet and e-books. Oh, how wonderful it must be now to study with a resource like this to browse through and jump from reference to reference.
It is comprehensive and encyclopaedic with links to internal extended explanations or examples. The update was necessary for many reasons, not just to cover the last 25 years. It all seems to be here from graphic novels to street art to MONA in Tasmania.
The way we talk about art has changed, and we keep creating new “isms”, one after the other.
“Each of the modern movements or ‘isms’ of the past 150 years—characterized by artists of a particular place and time, sharing a common style and thematic concerns—followed hard on the heels of its predecessors: after World War II, abstract expressionism was followed by Neo-Dada and Pop, Op, then Minimalism, process art, earth art, Conceptualism and so on. This stylistic turnover reflected the modern industrial age and its burgeoning middle class, attuned to novelty and consumption.”
Art is placed in context, with each year from 1980 through to 2012 given a brief entry with a few major political or social highlights (and lowlights). For example, the list for 1953 includes: Stalin dies, the Korean War ends, the double-helix structure of DNA is discovered, and Hugh Hefner founds “Playboy” magazine.
Since 1980, we have new art forms and media – digital, video, virtual reality, to name a few, and all are included here. And we have new tools – mobile phones with cameras, internet forums and blogs.
The author bemoans the homogenizing effect of training schools for curators as exhibitions worldwide now seem to feature only a small group of ‘name’ artists.
“Meanwhile, art criticism seems to continue in a downward spiral, as seen in the diminution of support for it from educational institutions or the troubled world of print media. (The highly fragmented art blogosphere, whatever its potential, remains in its infancy.) As a consequence of these trends, one of the few independent, economically disinterested voices in the art-world ecosystem—that of the critic—has been rendered nearly inaudible.”
I hope we start hearing them again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to review. I wish every school had one!
It is comprehensive and encyclopaedic with links to internal extended explanations or examples. The update was necessary for many reasons, not just to cover the last 25 years. It all seems to be here from graphic novels to street art to MONA in Tasmania.
The way we talk about art has changed, and we keep creating new “isms”, one after the other.
“Each of the modern movements or ‘isms’ of the past 150 years—characterized by artists of a particular place and time, sharing a common style and thematic concerns—followed hard on the heels of its predecessors: after World War II, abstract expressionism was followed by Neo-Dada and Pop, Op, then Minimalism, process art, earth art, Conceptualism and so on. This stylistic turnover reflected the modern industrial age and its burgeoning middle class, attuned to novelty and consumption.”
Art is placed in context, with each year from 1980 through to 2012 given a brief entry with a few major political or social highlights (and lowlights). For example, the list for 1953 includes: Stalin dies, the Korean War ends, the double-helix structure of DNA is discovered, and Hugh Hefner founds “Playboy” magazine.
Since 1980, we have new art forms and media – digital, video, virtual reality, to name a few, and all are included here. And we have new tools – mobile phones with cameras, internet forums and blogs.
The author bemoans the homogenizing effect of training schools for curators as exhibitions worldwide now seem to feature only a small group of ‘name’ artists.
“Meanwhile, art criticism seems to continue in a downward spiral, as seen in the diminution of support for it from educational institutions or the troubled world of print media. (The highly fragmented art blogosphere, whatever its potential, remains in its infancy.) As a consequence of these trends, one of the few independent, economically disinterested voices in the art-world ecosystem—that of the critic—has been rendered nearly inaudible.”
I hope we start hearing them again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to review. I wish every school had one!
December 26, 2013
ArtSpeak is an essential book for the Fine Arts enthusiast. It is basically a encyclopedia of all the art movements and ideas from 1945 to the present and is currently in its third edition. This is one of those great books that serves well as a reference but is also a fascinating book to browse. Each topic is categorized in a who, when, where and what format. For instance, If we turn to the entree on Pop Art we find that its primary artists include Andy Warhol, Claus Oldenberg and other, it thrived in the 50s and 60s mainly in Anerica and England, and the movement uses commercial symbols and icons as expression. Of course, the book says this in much more detail and more entertainingly. It is nicely illustrated with full colored photos but they tend to be on the small side. The text is what matters here. It also includes a nice timeline correlating world history with art history. Anyone who enjoys art will find this book worthwhile. As for me, I received mine from the publisherfor review in a PDF format. I definitely plan to buy the real honest-to-god book.
In case you wondering why I also placed this in my music book blog, it just seems like music lovers and art lovers often go hand-in-hand. However, it you find that excuse weak, the book does reference some musical artists that intersect both fields like Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, and Pussy Riot. So there!
In case you wondering why I also placed this in my music book blog, it just seems like music lovers and art lovers often go hand-in-hand. However, it you find that excuse weak, the book does reference some musical artists that intersect both fields like Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson, and Pussy Riot. So there!
March 13, 2008
A basic reference book with images... useful for teaching.
March 10, 2010
whoa so many art movements!
January 13, 2014
A dictionary. I used to be this person but not now.
June 4, 2015
If you ever wanted to know the meanings behind a number of art movements, this is a good reference book.
February 28, 2025
Could be better. I might have finished the book much earlier if it had included more color images (it’s in black and white, and not every concept or term has an accompanying image 👩🦯➡️👩🦯➡️👩🦯➡️).
The ideas and movements discussed mainly focus on the 1960s–1970s and stop there. I would have appreciated a more modern, up-to-date list.
Still helpful, though.
The ideas and movements discussed mainly focus on the 1960s–1970s and stop there. I would have appreciated a more modern, up-to-date list.
Still helpful, though.
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May 17, 2020narrtive art
April 24, 2014
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.5
ArtSpeak is an indispensable guide for anyone working in, or with even a passing interest in, any of the fine arts.
I have a number of arts related books on my shelves; books devoted to particular subjects and styles (Surrealism, Expressionism, Hudson River School, etc), but what I've lacked is a book precisely like this ... a book that defines a number of artistic styles and art movements.
Even when I was an art student (in the late seventies to mid eighties) I was aware of a number of art movements, but couldn't have told you quite how they differed from early movements. For instance, "New Realism" looks a lot like "Expressionism" to me. The definitions very succinctly explain the general template for which the term is coined. For instance, I felt that "Outsider Art" (a term for which I was not familiar) seemed a lot like "Folk Art." apparently I am not alone in this for the definition included this passage:
Yes...that actually explains it very well.
For the sake of a review, I read this book cover to cover. It can certainly be done this way, and this might be good for an art lecture class (and I most definitely learned some things!), but this will be most beneficial as a resource guide -- a dictionary to look up terms.
The book is divided in to a few sections. There is an Art Chart -- a simple timeline which identifies art movements by name, when they began and how long they remained a recognized format (ie: "funk art" from 1965-1975). There is a Timeline, in which each year is identified, with major world events that occurred during that year, and important and major events from the art world.
And there is the dictionary of terms, which takes up the bulk of the book.
Many definitions include a visual example of the term, which I found to be very useful. Some art movements are intentionally temporary, and even if one were to be a regular art museum visitor, it would be difficult to be exposed to Earth Art. A photograph of Earth Art, perhaps, but not the actual art.
I am glad that Robert Atkins has put this book together. Despite the advent and ease of the internet and sites such as Wikipedia, this book format is still the ideal way to disseminate this much information
Looking for a good book? ArtSpeak is a wonderful guide for anyone interested in art.
ArtSpeak is an indispensable guide for anyone working in, or with even a passing interest in, any of the fine arts.
I have a number of arts related books on my shelves; books devoted to particular subjects and styles (Surrealism, Expressionism, Hudson River School, etc), but what I've lacked is a book precisely like this ... a book that defines a number of artistic styles and art movements.
Even when I was an art student (in the late seventies to mid eighties) I was aware of a number of art movements, but couldn't have told you quite how they differed from early movements. For instance, "New Realism" looks a lot like "Expressionism" to me. The definitions very succinctly explain the general template for which the term is coined. For instance, I felt that "Outsider Art" (a term for which I was not familiar) seemed a lot like "Folk Art." apparently I am not alone in this for the definition included this passage:
"Outsider art should not be confused with folk art. Folk art features traditional decoration and functional forms specific to a culture. (Folk art has been generally corrupted by the demands of tourism.) Outsider art is a product of individual psyches rather than communal history, and it tends to be decorative and nonfunctional."
Yes...that actually explains it very well.
For the sake of a review, I read this book cover to cover. It can certainly be done this way, and this might be good for an art lecture class (and I most definitely learned some things!), but this will be most beneficial as a resource guide -- a dictionary to look up terms.
The book is divided in to a few sections. There is an Art Chart -- a simple timeline which identifies art movements by name, when they began and how long they remained a recognized format (ie: "funk art" from 1965-1975). There is a Timeline, in which each year is identified, with major world events that occurred during that year, and important and major events from the art world.
And there is the dictionary of terms, which takes up the bulk of the book.
Many definitions include a visual example of the term, which I found to be very useful. Some art movements are intentionally temporary, and even if one were to be a regular art museum visitor, it would be difficult to be exposed to Earth Art. A photograph of Earth Art, perhaps, but not the actual art.
I am glad that Robert Atkins has put this book together. Despite the advent and ease of the internet and sites such as Wikipedia, this book format is still the ideal way to disseminate this much information
Looking for a good book? ArtSpeak is a wonderful guide for anyone interested in art.
reference
January 3, 2019This book held my hand through the months it took me to read Arthur Danto's What Art Is. Between the two of them, I got a heady crash course in on modern art.
December 30, 2013
What a wonderful book for an art lover – whether professional or amateur, teacher or student, expert or total beginner. A simple, straightforward reference guide to explain what all those sometimes opaque and confusing art terms actually mean. Clearly and succinctly Atkins lists 146 different categories, and illustrates many of them. There’s a timeline for world and art-world events from 1945 and an ArtChart with an overview of the major art movements. Indispensable as a reference book it’s also a wonderful book to browse through – in fact I found it quite compulsive. And now I know the difference between Abstract Expressionism and Abject Expressionism, Socialist Realism and Social Realism, and have discovered such lesser known categories as Aids Art and Pathetic Art. Atkins cuts through all the pretentiousness that often pervades books about art and in a common-sense way makes this a book accessible to all. Excellent.
June 3, 2015
This is an essential reference for anyone interested in art and art history, from experts to the casual museum goer. The work starts with a timeline which includes both art and global events. This is a wonderful way to contextualize movements, artists and concepts. This is followed by an alphabetical listings of key terms with succinct explanations and examples.
As someone who works multidisciplinarily, this work provides a quick resource to make sure I am using any artistic concept accurately. On the rare occasions when I am still unsure if I am being true to the ideas, there are sufficient cross-references for use either within the book or as a jumping point for further research.
Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
As someone who works multidisciplinarily, this work provides a quick resource to make sure I am using any artistic concept accurately. On the rare occasions when I am still unsure if I am being true to the ideas, there are sufficient cross-references for use either within the book or as a jumping point for further research.
Reviewed from an ARC made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
May 12, 2016
I am no art expert but after spending time with this book, I certainly felt like one. It is a brilliant resource and recommended if you are studying art or if you just like to dabble and find out about specific artists or movements. It worked really well as an ebook because you can jump from one article to linked articles and start to see the connections between various people and find themes. It was fascinating moving about randomly. but also the encyclopaedic nature of the book means you can learn in depth about difficult topics. I have read books on postmodernism but still learned better from the entry here. It is well written, clearly laid out and lends itself to careful study and also just browsing.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
June 23, 2014
I was sent a copy of the book for review though Net Galley, as always, all opinions are my own.
Years ago when I was in school for Graphic Design we used ArtSpeak as a textbook. It's a great reference, especially when you need to explain a particular art movement to a non-artist. I still have the edition that I used as a textbook in school and refer to it often to refresh my memory. It's a great reference for artist and art enthusiast alike.
Years ago when I was in school for Graphic Design we used ArtSpeak as a textbook. It's a great reference, especially when you need to explain a particular art movement to a non-artist. I still have the edition that I used as a textbook in school and refer to it often to refresh my memory. It's a great reference for artist and art enthusiast alike.
February 4, 2008
Finally, I can fill the gaps in my patchwork knowledge of contemporary art. From Abstract to Zieitgeis, Neo-Geo(?!) to Elvis on velvet (see 'Kitsch'), this is an easy way to get clued in on some of the more obscure contemporary art facts. An excellent resource and great bedside reading. Cool pictures too.
January 30, 2014
ArtSpeak is a must have for museum patrons and art explorers. While my formal art history education stopped at Gardner's Art through the Ages, ArtSpeak covers contemporary art with detail and efficiency. Set up in an alphabetical format, ArtSpeak becomes a lexicon of all that is modern. Atkins also provides a timeline that puts terminology into context.
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September 4, 2015I am reviewing a revised edition with more info.
An interesting timeline, post war, of the deveopment of modern art.
Suitable for anyone interested in modern art and its place in the happenings of the world.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an unbiased honest review
An interesting timeline, post war, of the deveopment of modern art.
Suitable for anyone interested in modern art and its place in the happenings of the world.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an unbiased honest review
June 14, 2012
Definitely due for an update; it appears that the present is 1980. Not to dissuade one from the notion that this book is not chalk full of helpful information. The ideas and movements have continued to evolve and what was once revolutionary has become part of the landscape.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews