Con Art - Why you ought to sell your Damien Hirsts while you can [Kindle Edition]

I won't give this book 5 stars overall because, as I'm sure the author will readily agree, it's not a masterpiece, but I WILL give his forthright opinions 5 stars. (I don't mean to be disparaging, but there are quite a few typos for such a small book - I counted three.) Sadly, I think this book will only serve to fan the flames and to cause con art to seem more radical, anti-establishment, esoteric and enigmatic... and thus more desirable and expensive. Like the author says, just because critics have been wrong in deriding so-called cutting-edge art in the past, doesn't mean critics aren't wrong this time. That is a false logic. It is sad that this book likely won't change any opinions. I think the readership of this book is a little self-selecting so the author will be preaching to the converted mostly. I will just let people know that this book is well written, but it IS very short. Perhaps like a double-page article in a weekend paper. But with no pictures - the author explains this absence in detail at the beginning!

'Art': what does it mean to you? To me it is something uplifting, maybe thought-provoking perhaps beautiful. It gives me an insight into somebody else's view of the world and may, by doing so, expand my own understanding or insight. So how does what Julian Spalding refers to as 'Con Art' measure-up? Is it winning the race in terms of telling me something profound about the state of humanity? No. In fact it hasn't even got out of the starting blocks. Spalding's analysis of where Art 'went wrong' traces the various threads which have produced the fabric of the modern art world. Artists, dealers, collectors, curators, 'gallerists': the hall of shame is well-stocked. He takes us through the murky personal history of Duchamp and lets us peek into Warhol's factory. At the same time he deflates a few myths about how art comes to be regarded as valuable (in artistic, not just financial terms) with references to Van Gogh and Picasso among others. I won't rehearse the arguments here - suffice to say they are cogent, well-reasoned and, surprisingly, considering the enormity of the balloon to be pricked, really quite straight-forward.

Spalding is not one who insists that all art should be simplistic and representative and indeed, his understanding of recent and historical art movements and their social context adds force to his analysis.

The book is a relatively blunt instrument but it delivers its blow very effectively and I urge anyone with an interest in art, its role in society and its relationship with scholarship, and more particularly the world of 'Big Money' to read this. If you are not already sceptical about how art has progressed - or regressed - in the last century or so it may give you pause for thought. For those wondering where the alternatives lie there are hints at where to find real artistic endeavour still flourishing. Personally, I lost the plot with Con Art when I heard Mark Lawson on Radio 4 breathlessly running around a gallery in the company of a number of artist-athletes... from that point on I felt fully qualified to make my own judgement as to what constituted Art. Julian Spalding has reinforced that belief and I am convinced that he is not a lone voice in the wilderness. Read his book and lend your voice to the call to bring back some soul, some core of humanity into Art: an art which appeals to our true sensibility not just a debased pseudo-intellectualism.

In fact I take back my earlier assessment - it [Con Art] does tell us something about the state of humanity but what it says all has to do with avarice, gullibility, complicity and that poor-relation among human failings: the need to feel 'in on' the latest fad.

This book is very short and very powerful. In fact it's devastating. So devastating that the Tate did not want Julian Spalding to comment to television interviewers on the current Damien Hirst exhibition. He tells the story here.

Read this book and you will see what you have probably suspected for some time that conceptual art is a confidence trick. Hence the punning title. But the verve, expertise and accuracy of of Julian Spalding's assault will fire up your neurons while you shake your head at the idiocy of the naked parade.