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Review
Admirable for its compactness, reader-friendliness, this 'very short introduction' is nevertheless notable for its wide-ranging discussion of matters germane to the field of contemporary art. Should be a treat for the art-lovers amongst the academics. (U.S.I. Journal )
Product Description
In today's art world many strange, even shocking, things qualify as art. In this Very Short Introduction Cynthia Freeland explains why innovation and controversy are valued in the arts, weaving together philosophy and art theory with many fascinating examples. She discusses blood, beauty, culture, money, museums, sex, and politics, clarifying contemporary and historical accounts of the nature, function, and interpretation of the arts. Freeland also propels us into the future by surveying cutting-edge web sites, alongside the latest research on the brain's role in perceiving art. This clear, provocative book engages with the big debates surrounding our responses to art and is an invaluable introduction to anyone interested in thinking about art.
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First Sentence
On one morning at our American Society for Aesthetics conference, a small group of people straggled into a room at 9 a.m., to be jolted awake by slides and videos on 'The Aesthetics of Blood in Contemporary Art'. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
On one morning at our American Society for Aesthetics conference, a small group of people straggled into a room at 9 a.m., to be jolted awake by slides and videos on 'The Aesthetics of Blood in Contemporary Art'. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What is art? That's a hard question, and it fills the whole of this short book, covering various theories of art and some very different artists and ways of doing art. Despite being packed with information and thought-provoking ideas, "Art Theory" is very easy to read. It was my first "Very Short Introduction" - I now want to collect them all. Brilliant.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This a good introductory book to those interested in the theory of art. My particular interest and reason for reading this book was the question what constitutes art? This book was enlightening to me as it was open to ideas about what sort of things could be included in a group of things that could be considered works of art.
The book itself is structured in a way to focus on issues related to my question such as the impact of shocking modern works, non western/ethnic art, and the influence of the art market, feminism and modern media. These issues then provide a backdrop from which to explore and discuss different art theories, this is a much more engaging way of discussing and evaluating different theories as the backdrop provides a context to evaluate various theories, rather than just running through different theories without context.
The unsettling element of the book is that it does not seem possible to establish any fixed point from which to discuss art, as to do so instantly set limits from which the theory will ultimately be dismissed. The best theories art are those that do not impose limits, but this seems to let the floodgates open to any anything goes attitude which is equally dissatisfying. The message I took from the book is that art theory walks a tightrope between two unsatisfactory positions - but I have faith that it is possible to walk that tightrope.
There are a few problems such some issues seem to be glossed over such as the difference between arts and crafts, but this need not be taken as flaw, but as a limitation of space and the launch point for further study.
The book itself is structured in a way to focus on issues related to my question such as the impact of shocking modern works, non western/ethnic art, and the influence of the art market, feminism and modern media. These issues then provide a backdrop from which to explore and discuss different art theories, this is a much more engaging way of discussing and evaluating different theories as the backdrop provides a context to evaluate various theories, rather than just running through different theories without context.
The unsettling element of the book is that it does not seem possible to establish any fixed point from which to discuss art, as to do so instantly set limits from which the theory will ultimately be dismissed. The best theories art are those that do not impose limits, but this seems to let the floodgates open to any anything goes attitude which is equally dissatisfying. The message I took from the book is that art theory walks a tightrope between two unsatisfactory positions - but I have faith that it is possible to walk that tightrope.
There are a few problems such some issues seem to be glossed over such as the difference between arts and crafts, but this need not be taken as flaw, but as a limitation of space and the launch point for further study.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book on aesthetics is so easy to read that after five minutes of reading I already felt the exhilaration of being enlightened. It is hard to believe a seemingly dry subject can be explored (quite comprehensively and in depth) in such an enjoyable way, thanks to Ms Freeland's lively and engaging writing and her brilliant organising of topics. This small book can quickly equip you with the basic ability of understanding and appreciating art. Highly recommend!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Concise, intelligent and accessible
Very well written. Takes you on a whirlwind tour of world art history. Bought prior to my art degree -would recommend to any art student or person with interest in art.
Published 8 months ago by LoWolf
But is it art ?
No, this book is not a work of art. But among the mixed bag that is the 'very short introduction' series ( i own 7 currently )it's one of the better ones. Read more
Published on 9 Aug 2007 by Schrodinger's cat
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