Customer Reviews

Modern Art: A Crash Course (Crash Course (Watson-Guptill))

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This off beat art book discusses all the major developments of modern art at breakneck speed. You better be well versed in the subject to keep up.

Even though the author is an English literature graduate from Oxford we have a feeling this may not be the book Oxford would choose for their modern art class. And it's not the book to choose if you want to impress your date at the museum. It shall leave you trampled underfoot.

So why does it get 5 stars? Because for what it is it is great. So, what is it?
An unpretentious razor edged deliberation on the many art movements which fall under the heading of " Modern Art". Art writing is best read when it is unabashed and in disagreement with what's been established as art's final agreement. Art breakthroughs can be setbacks if seen from a different angle in all the clutter of the 20th century. Shock is not necessarily good. New is not always modern.

Cory Bell has plenty of personal ideations about modern art. The fun part of this book is that you will have plenty to disagree with, even argue about with the author.

So if you know only a little about modern art go read Lippard, Schjeldahl or Krauss. If you know a lot about mod art then feast on this irreverent book.

This was a fun book. Period. It's definetely a crash course. What do I actually remember from the book about modern art? Well, very little. Like a crash course, it primarily involves your short term memory. But, it takes your short term memory on a fun ride. In the moment of reading it, you'll enjoy yourself. Bell is very funny, but clearly intelligent. It's a great starting off book on modern art.

My complaints? Well, I would have liked to see more actual artwork. A given page might have 8 artists' names and then only one piece by one of them. That was a little frustrating. But, again, it's a crash course. And, it's a fun crash.