Art Since 1989

A survey of the dynamic developments in art worldwide since 1989, going in search of artists who have shaped a new visual vocabulary and whose work reflects on these turbulent years

The last few decades have seen a complete untethering of what art can be, who makes it and where it can be found, which has been matched by a reassessment of art’s appropriate place in society and the financial value that should be attached to it.

The book examines the key themes in contemporary art, from portraiture in the age of face transplants and facial recognition software, to political activism, science and religion. Artists discussed include Jeff Koons, Louise Bourgeois, Damien Hirst, George Condo, Marlene Dumas, Sean Scully, Cindy Sherman, Banksy, Ai Weiwei, Antony Gormley, Christo and Jean-Claude, Jenny Holzer, Chuck Close and Cornelia Parker.

The final chapter, a timeline, traces the evolution of art practice in this period by looking closely at one key artwork from each year.

Kelly Grovier is a brilliant new voice whose writing conveys the excitement, relevance and universality of contemporary art. This new book will become essential reading for all students of contemporary art and art history, as well as anyone with an interest in contemporary visual culture.

Kelly Grovier is a poet, historian and cultural critic. He is co-founder of the international scholarly journal European Romantic Review and the author of 100 Works of Art That Will Define Our Age, also published by Thames & Hudson.