Thursday 16 February 2012

The Trouble with Theories of Art

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2005/mar/23/3


Lost in a labyrinth of theory

Art today likes to think of itself as very, very clever. I understand the insecurity, but it does little for the work.

There is no doubting the importance of Art Since 1900, a massive new volume. For a start, it states its own significance in block capitals on the cover: "A LANDMARK STUDY IN THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART". Not only have the authors written a landmark study - they've reviewed it too! In the roundtable discussion that concludes the book, they congratulate themselves on a history that "might have some liberatory effect". Some liberatory effect? Who speaks like that?


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