Contemporary Art: A Very Short Introduction (2nd ed) Julian Stallabrass (Blog Post #1 - Chuck Doyle)

Contemporary Art: A Very Short Introduction (2nd ed) Julian Stallabrass The book traces art from its root to modern day and the impacts of social, political, and economic evolution. Chapter 1 explains that Art was initially driven by the extremely wealthy who could afford to support an artist while directing their activities. It talks to economic and political reform, racism and gender bias, conservative censorship. Initially owned and directed by politically correct elderly white men, the artists were primarily white male, the subjects of the art were white female. As the gay population became involved subjects shifted to nude males. The conservative force that had driven the art world referred to their work as pornography and denounced it. As the finances of the world shifted, the money required to effect which artists were in favor also shifted from the extremely wealthy aristocracy to the nouveau riche. Political forces came into play, as did major recessions and other economic issues. The shift of the art market with various trade agreements between countries allowed money and the art itself to freely flow from country to country. To try to control this display strategies changed from forms that were easily transportable to huge installations that require patrons to come into museums if they wanted to view it.

Figure 1 St Stephens Cathedral ©ChuckDoyle 2023 In Chapter 2 there is discussion of the proliferation of biennial art shows and the many challenges that became included as the movement grew. The wealthy traveling the globe from one biennial or transnational art event to another resulted initially in largely production of homogenous art. The tastes of this group decided what sold and what did not sell. The chapter further discusses the very different markets that developed in post-communist Russia and Scandinavia contrasted with China and Cuba, countries that retained communism. In Russia, according to Stallabrass, those favored by the autocracy were given or sold state assets at risible prices, some of whom became major collectors of art. As they grew fabulously wealthy, they could decree which artists succeeded by their preferences. Commoners had no influence because they did not accrue wealth. In Scandinavia, modernism and social democracy were strongly associated. Recession and its consequences caused a shift in art from utilitarian design. The artist became an indicator of the degree of freedom in Scandinavian society. As Russia collapsed, Cuba found itself as a small island nation largely on its own financially. There was a crackdown on artistic freedom, avant-garde shows were closed. As Cuban artists remained in Cuba and were allowed to travel and sell works for dollars, they lived very well. China pursued a state- guided capitalism, which keeps its super-rich with the money to control the art world. Both Chinese and Cuban governments had relaxed their hold on their economies, permitting limited private enterprise.

Figure 2 Ilok, Croatia, Abandoned Store, ©ChuuckDoyle2023 References Stallabrass, J. (2020). 1. a zone of freedom? In (Ed.), Contemporary art: A very short introduction (2nd ed., pp. 1–25). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780198826620.003.0001 Stallabrass, J., & . (2020). 2. new world order. In Contemporary art: A very short introduction (2nd ed., pp. 26–61). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780198826620.003.0002