20th century art: from Acconci to Zorio (The 20th Century Art Book: Mini Edition - Phaidon Press)

Member Name: SophieRainbow

Product:	The 20th Century Art Book: Mini Edition - Phaidon Press
Date:	06/08/09 (15 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Varied, large photographs, well-written, small

Disadvantages: Limited to 20th century works

I picked up this book from an art gallery as an alternative to The Art Book, which is biased more towards fine art before the 20th century, as I prefer modern art. It contains a great variety of artists and mediums (painting, sculpture, video, performance) in a handy smaller version.

*Design and layout*
The book has an attractive front cover which does what it says on the tin, and has the same cover on the back. Inside there is first a 1-page introduction to the book, followed by 499 pages of artworks by popular 20th century artists. The pages are organised alphabetically by the artists' surname - making favourites like Dali, Kandinsky and Monet easier to find.

At the top of each page is the Surname followed by the first name of the artist, and the name of the work. Underneith is a description and interpretation of the work, along with information about the artists' influences, style and the movements to which they belonged and a list of related artists to look at. Beneath this is a large 11x11cm space for a photo of the work, and at the bottom of the page are the birth (and if appropriate) death dates of the artist and details of the materials and size of the piece.

At the end of the book are a glossary of terms used, a glossary of art movements referred to and a directory of the galleries where the works are situated.

*Content: Artists and artwork*
The book contains a wide range of artists, and succesfully selects some of their most iconic works. From the pop art of Lichtenstein, to Hirsts' shark, Lowry's stick figures, Goldsworthys' temporary natural sculptures and Fontana's holes in a canvas, this book displays the length and breadth of contemporary art. The alphabetical ordering makes the works appear randomly organised, with hyper-realist paintings juxtaposed against eerie black-and-white photography, and a Kandinsky next to a textile sculpture. This is an advantage as it allows the works to bounce of each other and add depth to the readers experience. The artworks dominate the page and allow the reader to make their own interpretations before reffering to the provided text.

*Content: Text*
The descriptions and interpretations provided are knowledgeable and insightful. They also provide a background to the artist which helps less experienced art viewers to grasp the meaning behind the pieces. References to other artists are useful when looking for a particular style and the glossaries help to explain common art terms and techniques as well as the eras, themes and styles of art movements across the century. As the book was printed in 1999, I am uncertain as to whether the directory of where to find the artworks will still be accurate for all of them.

*Conclusion*
This book is a concise, well-written, well-designed introduction to 20th century art. It has a greater range of work than I have ever seen in any other art book and at a very reasonable price of £6.95 RRP (even cheaper from Amazon at £5.91).

Summary: A brilliantly concise introduction to 499 inspirational modern artworks and artists