Beyond Contemporary Art

"The contemporary art world has been transforming rapidly over the last decade, claiming new territories and assimilating novel creative practices. Video game art and iPhone art apps have appeared, street art has blossomed led by artists such as Banksy and Invader. The definition of what constitutes art has broadened to encompass categories that would never have been considered art in the past. Contemporary art is more networked than ever before with world capitals vying with each other for global market share.

In this book, the author surveys the key concepts and ideas that have reverberated throughout the art world in the last decade through studying the artists who have created them. From blockbuster museum exhibitions to influential art fairs and art-stars, the ever-expanding contemporary art world has been increasingly integrated into popular culture. While highlighting established artists such as Gerhard Richter, the book also includes emerging and mid-career artists whose work ranges widely. Artists such as Jeremy Wood who plots his movement across the globe through GPS tracking, Tatsuo Miyajima who does digital light displays, Eduardo Kac who does transgenic bio-art or Santiago Sierra who paid workers to shift a heavy rock back and forth are among the international artists included in this book. Often controversial, these artists push the boundaries of what would traditionally be considered art.

This is a book of interest to students, critics, art historians and anyone interested in the contemporary art scene."