Art in Theory, 1900–2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas by Charles Harrison

Art in Theory, 1900–2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas Reviews

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  Harlan Vaughn

  It hit me, but felt like a kiss.
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  Jana

  Goes without saying... as this is the standard reference (at least back in my day). It's different than other reference books (I guess some wouldn't even call it that) in that it has parts or wholes of the original sources with a short abstract prefacing each. Also, the selections are grouped not only by periods but by ideas within periods such as "Objecthood and Redctivism" (within Modernism) or "The Critique of Originality" (within Postmodernism). Enough heady material for years of excavation or tangents.
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  Mafe Pazos

  MIND-BLOWING. Harrison's compilation catalogues the progression of discourse on the nature of form versus content, the formation of the historical perspective and the nuances present in the development of ideas through the art discussion and its significance to the understanding of existence and the search for meaning.
  
  Beginning with the idolization of Cezanne and the rise of Expressionism, the conversation traverses down the path of Futurists, Social Realists, Neoclassicists and even Dadaists, culminating in the turmoil of the Post-Modernist dilemma. The artistic conversation transforms into more than just a discussion of movements and "-isms," and, by examining the changes in the way people thought and engaged with art, it challenges our current perceptions of culture, history and, more importantly, our contemporary narratives.
  
  It compels us to think about the nature of our present sensibilities and the manner in which we, as human beings, existing within a given context, experience the allure of the sublime and the formation of culture.
  
  Art in Theory 1900-2000 asks you to redefine your fundamental identity and, thus, decipher the essence of your individual and collective aesthetics.
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  Brianne Walasek

  a meaty read. LOTS of artist statements and writings on their own work. This is a collection of manifestos, reviews and essays that's unmatched by anything else i've seen. thorough and engrossing
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  David Williamson

  Possible the most important book I own, if you're into art, this is your Bible and shame on you if you do not own it.
• 
  Chris

  As a visual art major in grad school and teacher, this book is a necessity when writing papers for art history, criticism and critiques because it offers insights from some of the best artists and critics of the age. A lot of the articles require extra research to comprehend, however, after reading and researching most of this (very thick) book, I have learned a great deal about theories and ideas I never knew existed in Art. This will stay on my book shelf for the rest of forever.
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  Catherine

  Oh Art Theory... how I love thee but hate thee all at the same time. This book is a great resource and a must for any art historian. Filled with lots of great articles -- some great, some B.S., but still a good resource.
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  Mayank Singh

  The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.
  Pablo Picasso
  
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  Laurie

  I read this book (most of it) for a Art Theory and Criticism class I took last semester for college. Man, it is a dense huge book, ( 1258 pages!) A lot of it was very dense reading too because many of the theorists' articles in the book was from the 1920s to the 1940s written in a time when academic language was very ahem, academic and extremely scholarly and also from a time that is not current. So a lot of the material was very hard to parse. Perhaps I am more pedestrian but I do like things to be a little easier to read. It is good that the class required a lot of participation because we needed it to truly understand it all. But personally, some of it was quite pretentious. However, I gave it 4 stars because it was pretty comprehensive in the amount of information it included (again 1258 pages). For example 12 separate articles alone on cubism. (The book didn't get into modernism until halfway through the book) I will admit to not having read the entire book but just assigned readings (but it was a lot) and perhaps a few more chapters in trying to understand part of it. Now, for people wanting to study art theory, this would be good to study in-depth. For that reason I gave it 4 stars.
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  Objecthood

  A most useful anthology of essays and excerpts for art students and anyone trying to enter the world of art theory. Not only proper 'art writing' by the likes of Greenberg, Leo Steinberg, Krauss, Lippard & Michael Fried, and observations by almost all pioneering 20th c. artists, the collection also squeezes in relevant excerpts from most seminal works of theory (from Simmel, Weber, Freud & Bergson to Habermas, Foucault, Derrida, Baudrillard, Kristeva, Spivak...) that will help one grasp all concepts relevant to the discussion of contemporary art.
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  Isaac Rojas

  It works for the understanding of how the elements of art have been forged throughout time by word and writing of the most influential personalities in their historic context, but as a dilettante on art history it would have been much helpful something more chronological. Anyways, surely this is a must be for students on the matter or anyone who wants to dig on the essentials.
• 
  Martin Ridgway

  A useful guide through the last century of art, even if some of the readings are tedious and pretentious in the extreme. Notwithstanding that, the section and extract introductions are clear and useful. Again, thematic rather than chronological layout.
• 
  Charles

  This was bought as a reference book for my art Degree course, which was useful at the time but I found the language (Art Critic Jargon), very, very difficult to comprehend and to be quite honest boring; as soon as I had finished with it I sold it.
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  NONATION

  art and teory is really good
• 
  Yair Martinez

  This is a psychological book
• 
  Gokuloko

  Amazing
• 
  Doris Raines

  THIS IS A GOOD BOOK.
• 
  Murillohl

  Include significant contributions to art theory from the 1990s.
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  Shaun Johnson

  Reading this entire book felt like an achievement. Near the end it was harder to read because mid-way I decided that art critics are boring. And they are. They just ramble on and on and on and on. The real jewel of this book is the text by artists themselves, their symposiums, and their interviews. As an artist myself I felt a profound kinship with this text. This book also introduced to me artists I knew little (or nothing) about, their movements, their politics, and their theories. It is not only useful in applying this knowledge to looking at art, but if you are an artist yourself it reveals to you a deeper understanding to your own artistic choices--where they come from, where they're rooted. Deeply moving.
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  Cate Brooks

  This is an incredible resource for anyone wanting to contextualize modern-contemporary art and who doesn't know where to start. The excerpts in it are the most valuable primary reources you will find in one place ranging from artists' statements, on all the wild movements during this exciting century, to contemporary criticism like that of Greenberg and Fry. The text is thick and painful at times but so rewarding. It offers the most pure perspective and explanation of these ideas from those who created them.
• 
  Julia

  Очень полезная книга, позволяющая непосредственно познакомиться с мыслями, программами, лозунгами, письмами - документами, написанными мастерами каждого конкретного направления. Я, конечно, весь этот труд осилить не смогла, только треть. Но книга на это и не рассчитана: с ней надо работать, когда хочешь понять суть эпохи, стиля. Ознакомился с вступительной статьей к разделу, прочитал двадцать страниц писем/заметок и прочего - сразу все становится проще, ближе и понятнее. Обязательно буду возвращаться к этому сборнику еще и еще.
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  Mary Emily O'Hara

  
  
  Art in Theory is not a book you "currently read" or finish, really. It's a constantly accessible resource that allows a peek into any given intellectual era within the bounds of its temporal bracketing. I'm always checking it for references, then re-checking it for ideas, then combing it for inspiration. MUST HAVE ON DESK AT ALL TIMES. Thank you.
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  elmira

  there are more than a couple of must read essays in Art In Theory, amazing writings by artists and art critics that are necessary to be discussed among artists and art historians mostly for one good reason, that these readings will confuse the artists in their art practice.
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  yao

  this book is very annoying
  but it tells you a lot about modern art