Art Speak: A Guide to Contemporary Ideas, Movements, and Buzzwords

Rating:
Summary: DA DOO DOO DOO DA DA DA DA, THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY TO YOU
Review: Dada? Neo-Dada? Mono-Ha? Sots Art? If you find yourself utterly confused by art terms, timelines, and general overall descriptions of art movements since the 1940's, Art Speak is a great book to have. Robert Atkins of Village Voice fame, has put together a dictionary/mini-encyclopedia of "ideas, movements and buzzwords" touching on everything of note that evolved in the art world from WWII through 1989. The books opens with a timeline 1945-1989 detailing and comparing (in capsulized form) major world and art events, giving the reader/student an idea of the corellation between history and how art evolves and intertwines with it. The remainder of the book is an alphabetical listing of art movements with descriptions and snazzy graphics. It isn't a huge text book with intensive essays and pages and pages of commentary on each style, but it is a great set of "Cliff Notes" for those trying to find a jumping off point to learn more about that slippery entity called art. I highly recommend it.