Tony Godfrey Livres

Photo‐realism, abstraction, portraiture, installation painting, neo‐expressionism and the Leipzig School are just some of the areas of this thriving medium explored in Painting Today. This comprehensive survey of contemporary painting presents the broad range of styles, materials and methods that comprise the artform, extending the tradition of Phaidon’s trail–blazing Art Today. Since the proclaimed "death of painting" in 1968, artists around the globe have nevertheless continued to expand its imagery, techniques and meanings, and in over 500 illustrations this book presents the work of both famous and emergent painters active around the world. Tony Godfrey presents a lively and authoritative view of the vast range of possibilities that painting today encompasses.

An instant classic—a lively new introduction to contemporary art that stretches from Andy Warhol's Brillo boxes to Marina Abramović's performance art to today's biennale circuit and million-dollar auctions.Encountering a work of contemporary art, a viewer might ask, "What does it mean?" "Is it really art?" and "Why does it cost so much?" These are not the questions that E. H. Gombrich set out to answer in his magisterial The Story of Art . Contemporary art seems totally unlike what came before it, departing from the road map supplied by Raphael, Dürer, Rembrandt, and other European masters.In The Story of Contemporary Art , Tony Godfrey picks up where Gombrich left off, offering a lively introduction to contemporary art that stretches from Andy Warhol's Brillo boxes to Marina Abramović's performance art to today's biennale circuit and million-dollar auctions. Godfrey, a curator and writer on contemporary art, chronicles important developments in pop art, minimalism, conceptualism, installation art, performance art, and beyond.

What is art? Must it be a unique, saleable luxury item? Can it be a concept that never takes material form? Or an idea for a work that can be repeated endlessly? Conceptual art favours a vivid engagement with such questions. It can take many photographs, videos, posters, billboards, charts, plans and, in particular, language itself. Tony Godfrey has written the first ever clear, extensive, concise and informative account of this fascinating phenomenon.

Featuring an introduction by renowned photographer Martin Parr, this book includes an insightful essay by Tony Godfrey that delves into the themes and artistic elements present in the work. The combination of Parr's perspective and Godfrey's analysis offers a rich exploration of the subject matter, highlighting the significance and impact of the visual narrative presented. Readers can expect a thoughtful discussion that enhances their understanding of the artwork and its context.

What does it mean? Is it really art? Why does it cost so much? These questions often arise in discussions about contemporary art, yet they are not the focus of E. H. Gombrich's influential work. Gombrich's narrative ends in the 1960s, a pivotal time when artists began to reject traditional forms and challenge the very definition of art. Tony Godfrey continues this exploration, noting that contemporary art has evolved through a complex web of conflicts and debates regarding its nature. His narrative highlights the drastic shifts in social and political contexts over the past sixty years, addressing the evolving human experience in a rapidly changing world. Godfrey emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives—critics, theorists, curators, collectors, audiences, and artists—in understanding contemporary art. Central to his discussion is the significant transformation in the perception of who creates art, moving away from the notion that it is predominantly produced by white men from North America and Western Europe. This book is compelling and insightful, offering a rich understanding of contemporary art without being overly academic, revealing how these shifts have reshaped our understanding of art today.

Drawing has become the pre-eminent tool of both experimental and traditional art. The long-term definition of drawing as marks on paper is now seen as too limiting; it can range from the humblest doodle to monumental land lines. It is the medium used by artists as various as the painter John Walker, the land artist Richard Longt, the one-time minimalist Sol Le Witt and the young figure sculptor Antony Gormley. The last 20 years have witnessed the re-emergence of drawing and its importance to artists: the return to the life room sparked off by the preoccupation of R.B. Kitaj; the legacy of abstraction with the rich achievements of artists such as De Kooning, Twombly, Johns, Marden and Penck; the explosion of work that extended the meaning of drawing and the crucial influence of drawing on the new image painters of the 1980's, most notably Clemente, Paladino, Kiefer and Le Brun. "Drawing Today" is complemented by an assortment of attractive colour illustrations.