Is there such a thing as contemporary art history? The contemporary; after allmdash;as much as we may want to consider it otherwisemdash;is being made history as it happens. By what means do we examine this moving target? These questions lie at the center of Jane Blockerrsquo;s Becoming Past. The important point is not whether there ismdash;or should bemdash;contemporary art history; Blocker argues; but how.Focusing on a significant aspect of current art practice?in which artists have engaged with historical subject matter; methods; and inquiry?Blocker asks how the creation of the artist implicates and interrogates that of the art historian. She moves from art history to theater; to performance; and to literature as she investigates a series of works; including performances by the collaborative group Goat Island; the film Deadpan by Steve McQueen; the philosophies of science fiction writer Samuel Delany and documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee; the film Amos Fortune Road by Matthew Buckingham; and sculptures by Dario Robleto.Many books have sought to understand the key directions of contemporary art. In contrast; Becoming Past is concerned with the application of art history in the pursuit of such trends. Setting the idea of temporality decisively in the realm of art; Blockerrsquo;s work is crucial for artists; art historians; curators; critics; and scholars of performance and cultural studies interested in the role of history in the practice of art.
#3726520 in eBooks 2015-11-24 2015-11-24File Name: B018MBWQTQ
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