The Arts
A History of Expression in the 20th Century
Description:... Seventy years ago the Dada movement proclaimed, "Art is dead"; if so, it has had an exciting afterlife. The twentieth-century world of art has boiled with rebellion and experiment, each generation creating new forms of expression--from Cubism to abstract expressionism, from surrealism to superrealism, not to mention the new trends in literature, architecture, music, and dance. The Arts offers a sweeping look at this tumultuous, creative century, in a richly illustrated and accessibly written volume. With over 300 illustrations, many in full color, The Arts ranges across every field of fine art, painting a vivid portrait of the changing styles--and the money, politics, and intellectual trends that have shaped twentieth-century art. Unlike so many histories, this comprehensive narrative brings together both the visual and the performing arts, presenting an integrated picture of our century's changing ideas and artistic fashions. The Arts describes modernism in literature (Eliot, Pound, and Joyce) alongside modernism in architecture (Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Bauhaus movement), and explores how artists from sculptors to musicians have responded to major political events. And at a time when public debate is raging over public support for "obscene" art, this book delves into the social reality behind creative work.
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