Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art?

Contemporary art can be confusing and oftentimes is not even viewed as real art, even by an art lover like myself. This book aims to help people, such as myself, who love art but are confused by contemporary art. Kyung An and Jessica Cerasi have written this short book to give us an introduction to what contemporary art is, how to read it, and what it means. They do it in a way a lot of children’s books are done–in an A-Z format, with each letter corresponding to a specific topic, motif, or idea. After briefly explaining what it is, they give a short example; whether it be a specific artist, a specific way contemporary art is done, or venues for contemporary art.

The authors have done a good job with this book. It is perfect as an introduction to this sometimes-baffling art form, especially for people who enjoy art but not necessarily contemporary art. The structure works, and giving us short topics, with examples, is an excellent way to give us a taste but not overwhelm us.