- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Phoenix; New Ed edition (6 July 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1841881007
- ISBN-13: 978-1841881003
- Product Dimensions: 21.9 x 18.5 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 146,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Matthew Collings has already established a reputation for himself as one of the most irreverent and original commentators on the contemporary art world, with his books Blimey! From Bohemia to Britpop and It Hurts: New York Art from Warhol to Now. With the publication of This is Modern Art, Collings has ordered an even bigger canvas to sketch his own uniquely original version of contemporary art today, which he sees as both increasingly popular but also at different points "glamorous, mysterious, sexy, soulful, macabre, gloomy, quirky, kinky and funny". Written to accompany the television series of the same name, This is Modern Art is an in-your-face guide to modern art from Goya's "Disasters of War" to Gillian Wearing's prize-winning video of the police. Along the way, Collings addresses the questions which have both defined and plagued perplexed responses to modern art, including its desire to shock, its questionable aesthetic value, its humour and its blankness. As it moves along in a style which is at times infuriating but always direct and funny, This is Modern Art points out how far we've come since Picasso and Matisse, reverses out of the cul-de-sac of postmodernism, waves the flag for New British Artists like Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Sarah Lucas, and ultimately leaves his audience with a streetwise, upbeat book on the abiding value of modern art. --Jerry Brotton
Book Description
An incredibly readable, funny, opinionated, idiosyncratic book which tells the story of modern art from Picasso to Damien Hirst - to tie-in with 6-part prime-slot Channel 4 series presented by Matthew Collings
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Collings has a breezy writing style that exactly matches the way he talks on television during the Turner Prize or on one of his documentaries. It won't appeal to all readers, but if you've got a sense of humour about modern art (for example you found Craig-Martin's Oak Tree in the Tate Modern amusing), you'll definitely like this book. Collings isn't afraid to tell you that he doesn't really know what some pieces of art are about, or that he is only guessing. I've re-read this book several times, and I still enjoy it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Collings' writing style will not be for everyone. He can be quite infuriatingly dense about some artists or concepts, and I found myself having to reread some sentences several times to see if it was 'just me'. It wasn't. On the other hand, most of the time he writes about art in a very accessible, and interesting way. His seems to be a fairly personal view, which is not going to suit anyone looking for an authoritative guide to art, but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.
The paragraphs are quite clipped, and he just gets into his stride only to move to another subject or idea or artist, which when I was enjoying myself I found quite frustrating. I wanted more. This is not a particularly bad thing. I just found myself on Wikipedia a lot.
There are good illustrations, unlike some art books, and plenty of them. What could be a little challenging was him talking about paintings or works for which there were then no accompanying illustrations, which then sent me back to Wiki.
The potted history of the artists in the margins is a useful feature. I liked the way the book was broken up into manageable chapters and sub headings within chapters. The balance of prose to pictures was good. All in all a very satisfactory book given the dearth of affordable and useful books on what modern art actually is.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well-illustrated and easy to read but highly idiosyncratic and selective. Collings is good on those artists he knows personally or has interviewed for his TV shows but this is to the detriment of many important and influential artists who are ignored completely or mentioned only in passing. Highly recommended as an introduction to the field but please don't think this is definitive (let alone "the Bible") - I am sure Collings would make no such claims. And if you are in doubt as to which is the better, this or his other contribution "Blimey" I can reassure you this is the better by far.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing
I was so exhilarated by Collings' Channel 4 mini-series "This is civilisation" that I had to search the web to find something similar in book form. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2008 by x iLeon
Explaining how great the Master Collings is
Reading this book was a really refreshing experience. Matthew Collings must be one of the only art critics in all history who A: Knows something about art and B: Doesn't talk... Read more
Published on 29 Dec 2001
i really enjoyed flicking through this one!
perfect for an night in with a cup of cocoa. This is the ultimate read for the modern art lover.Plenty of clear images, Matthew Collings gives an insightful, and easy to understand... Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2001
Fresh and Funky v's Pretentious and Frustrating
This book is about Matthew Collins as much as it is about Modern Art. His affected, dramatic writing dominates the book in what I, in my more subdued moods would call playful and... Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2001 by harleyripster@hotmail.com
The Art Students New Bible
This is without doubt the best book on Modern Art available. Making the long-winded flowery drivel of the majority of art writers seem redundant, Collings has tapped into the... Read more
Published on 26 Jun 2001 by Mr. C. Smithson
A brilliantly constructed piece for anyone interested in art
Matthew Collings has a unique explanatory style that appeals to expert and novice alike. Experts admire his knowledge and skill in condensing down even the hardest subject into a... Read more
Published on 1 Nov 2000
The ultimate guide to modern art.
Matthew Collings is the ultimate guide to Modern Art. His critical approach is refreshingly unpretentious and he trawls through his baffling world of pickled cows and wobbling... Read more
Published on 7 May 2000
A Fantastic Book!
If you loved Blimey! then this book is even better, offering an excellent overview of the world of Modern Art. Read more
Published on 2 Dec 1999
A refreshing funny and deceptively scholarly survey.
THIS IS MODERN ART. MATTHEW COLLINGS. No deconstructionist labyrinths; no art-historical jargon: just sensitive reflective reactions to the unique derivative (my comma key does... Read more
Published on 23 July 1999
This book should win a Turner Prize
I think Matthew Collings in fantastic. Modern art's manifesto has mythologised the role of the artist and Collings de-mythologises the artist, but in a way that allows you to... Read more
Published on 11 July 1999
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