The notion of beauty and its relationship to contemporary art is once again arousing passionate discussion and wide-spread debate among artists, writers, critics, and curators. Uncontrollable Beauty is the first anthology to capture this new wave of critical discourse, examining the role of beauty in twentieth-century art and culture in order to redefine it for a new generation of artists and writers. Encompassing three central themes: Theory, Ownership, and Practice, the thirty essays, writings, and poems explore how we define beauty, where we locate it in art, and its complex links to issues of gender, morality, and universalism. Included are works by John Ashbery, Agnes Martin, and Carter Ratcliff, as well as a conversation with Julia Kristeva and an exclusive interview with Louise Bourgeois. Anyone wanting to stay current with contemporary art criticism will find this book a stimulating selection of dialogue, debate, and philosophical insight. Contributors: John Ashbery; Louise Bourgeois; Hubert Damisch; Arthur Danto; Max Fierst; David Freedberg; Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe; John Hejduk; Dave Hickey; James Hillman; Ariane Lopez-Huici; Kenneth Koch; Julia Kristeva; Donald Kuspit; Jaqueline Lichtenstein; Agnes Martin; Thomas McEvilley; Robert Morgan; Frank O'Hara; Carter Ratcliff; William Rubin; Meyer Schapiro; Peter Schjeldahl; David Shapiro; Robert Farris Thompson; Kirk Varnedoe; Marjorie Welish; John Yau. Uncontrollable Beauty is co-published with the School of Visual Arts as part of the Aesthetics Today series.
Allworth Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, publishes a broad range of books on the visual and performing arts, with emphasis on the business of art. Our titles cover subjects such as graphic design, theater, branding, fine art, photography, interior design, writing, acting, film, how to start careers, business and legal forms, business practices, and more. While we don't aspire to publish a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are deeply committed to quality books that help creative professionals succeed and thrive. We often publish in areas overlooked by other publishers and welcome the author whose expertise can help our audience of readers.
