Art Crazy Nation: The Post-Blimey London Artworld - Softcover

Collings, Matthew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1901785084 ISBN 13: 9781901785081

Publisher: 21 Pub, 2002

Synopsis

This long-awaited sequel to Matthew Collings's hugely successful portrait of the British art world, "Blimey!" brings us up-to-date in a world that has changed immeasurably since 1997. Not least of all because of "Blimey's" publication, the Young British Artists who were the focus of that book have gone on to become huge stars in the international scene: they have starred in their own news-making exhibition, "Sensation", which nearly brought the art establishment, to say nothing of the borough of Brooklyn and the mayor of New York City, to its knees; artists like Gary Hume, Tracey Emin, and Chris Ofili have become media celebrities; and "insider" gossip isn't insider anymore but covered in the newspapers and television on a regular basis. "Art Crazy Nation" brings us up to date with Collings's much-imitated, never-duplicated style: his skewed scenarios, autobiographical blips, personal observations, off-kilter but strangely precise judgments, and more. The old characters will reappear, but they are no longer the main focus. What's new and what's next are his questions, questions he answers with his seemingly blithe but in truth penetrating wit and style. "Art Crazy Nation" will have the same boldness of design; cool photographs of people, places, and art; and a mixture of grungy realism and glamour for which Matthew Collings has become famous.

Praise for Matthew Collings:

"Hilarious and horrible, intelligent and frightening, "Blimey!" is the book the art world deserves." --Adrian Searle, "The Guardian"

"An acid farrago of anecdotes, capsule biographies and pithy critical assessments. ("It Hurts") is highly entertaining and informative." --"The New York Times"

180 color.
7.25 x 8.75 in.

About this title

About the Author

Matthew Collings was born in London in 1955. He has been editor of "Artscribe Magazine" as well as founder of Artscribe International. Starting in 1988, he worked for the BBC as an art critic, writer, and on-air personality for the cultural program "The Late Show". Since leaving the BBC in 1997, he has published two extremely well received books on contemporary art, "Blimey", his first book on the British art scene, and "It Hurts", on the New York art scene. He is currently working on two TV series for Channel Four in London, "Culture", which will air in the summer of 2001, and a second on the Old Masters, schelduled for 2003.

From Library Journal

The same breezy irreverence that set the tone for Blimey! Collings's 1997 look at the British contemporary art world characterizes this sequel as well. It contains singularly witty and insightful assessments of the recent scene and is chock-full of candid observations on this continuing saga stylistic components, opening events, publications, politics, history, lifestyles, gossip, artistic values, oddities, and more. A description of a startling work called "Hell" by the Chapman brothers, a humorous aside on researching contemporary artists via the Internet, a tongue-in-cheek glossary of critical terms for reacting to art, and comments on topics from the Turner Prize to nudity are just a small taste of what is here. Collings, who was a BBC art critic from 1988 to 1997 and contributed to numerous art periodicals, is certainly never dull. He observes, informs, and entertains simultaneously. Numerous lavish photographs accompany the text, portraying everything and everyone, from the Queen of England at the Tate Modern's 2000 opening to individual artists (Mark Wallinger, Margarita Gluzberg, John McLean) to reproductions of artistic styles ranging from the abstract to the sensational. Those who desire to keep attuned to the modern art scene, particularly on an international level, will thoroughly enjoy this unusual book. For large circulating arts collections. Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: 21 Pub
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1901785084
• ISBN 13: 9781901785081
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 204