Contemporary Art: 1989 to the Present - Paperback

by Alexander Dumbadze (Editor), Suzanne Hudson (Editor)

An engaging account of today's contemporary art world that features original articles by leading international art historians, critics, curators, and artists, introducing varied perspectives on the most important debates and discussions happening around the world.

• Features a collection of all-new essays, organized around fourteen specific themes, chosen to reflect the latest debates in contemporary art since 1989
• Each topic is prefaced by an introduction on current discussions in the field and investigated by three essays, each shedding light on the subject in new and contrasting ways
• Topics include: globalization, formalism, technology, participation, agency, biennials, activism, fundamentalism, judgment, markets, art schools, and scholarship
• International in scope, bringing together over forty of the most important voices in the field, including Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy, David Joselit, Michelle Kuo, Raqs Media Collective, and Jan Verwoert
• A stimulating guide that will encourage polemical interventions and foster critical dialogue among both students and art aficionados

Back Jacket

The contemporary art world has expanded exponentially--in both size and complexity--over the last two decades, leading to a general uncertainty as to what matters and why. Contemporary Art: 1989 to the Present provides an unparalleled resource for students, artists, scholars, and art enthusiasts who are eager to navigate today's art world. It is the first collection of its kind to bring together fresh perspectives from leading international art historians, critics, curators, and artists for a comprehensive discussion of what contemporary art is today.

Divided into fourteen thematic clusters, each section presents three essays that offer a kaleidoscope of lively and expert viewpoints on each topic. Topics include globalization, formalism, technology, participation, agency, biennials, activism, fundamentalism, judgment, markets, and art schools, and scholarship. These clusters organize material in distinct and overlapping ways, allowing readers to customize their approach to their needs.

With up-to-date research concerns as well as more enduring topics, this text will provoke lively discussion regarding contemporary art, its study, and its historiography. Contemporary Art: 1989 to the Present provides a much-needed examination of the unique contemporary situation, and an encapsulation of a complex intellectual zeitgeist.

Author Biography

Alexander Dumbadze is assistant professor of contemporary art at George Washington University. He is president of the Society of Contemporary Art Historians and a cofounder of the Contemporary Art Think Tank. He has written essays for a number of international exhibition catalogues, and is a recipient of the Creative Capital Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant. His book Bas Jan Ader: Death is Elsewhere is forthcoming in 2013.

Suzanne Hudson is assistant professor of contemporary art at the University of Southern California. She is president emeritus and chair of the executive committee of the Society of Contemporary Art Historians and a cofounder of the Contemporary Art Think Tank. In addition to her work as an art historian, she is an active critic whose work has appeared in international exhibition catalogues and such publications as Parkett, Flash Art, and Art Journal; she is a regular contributor to Artforum. In 2009 she published Robert Ryman: Used Paint, and Painting Now is forthcoming in 2013.