In 1958, the French philosopher Etienne Gilson observed that quot;painters are related to manual laborers by a deep-rooted affinity that nothing can eliminate,quot; because painting was the one art in which the person who conceives the work is also necessarily the person who executes it. Conceptual innovators promptly proved Gilson wrong, however, by eliminating the touch of the artist from their paintings: in 1960 the French artist Yves Klein began using quot;living brushesquot; - nude models covered with paint - to execute his paintings, and in 1963 Andy Warhol began having his assistant Gerard Malanga silkscreen his canvases. Today many leading artists do not touch their own paintings, and some never see them. This paper traces the innovations that allowed a complete separation between the conception and execution of paintings. The foundation of this separation was laid long before the 20th century, by conceptual Old Masters including Raphael and Rubens, who employed teams of assistants to produce their paintings, but artists began exploring its logical limits during the conceptual revolution of the 1960s and beyond. Thus by the end of the twentieth century Jeff Koons explained that he did not participate in the work of painting his canvases because he believed it would interfere with his growth as an artist, and Damien Hirst defended his practice of having his paintings made by assistants on the grounds that their paintings were better than his. Eliminating the touch of the artist from painting is yet another way in which conceptual innovators transformed art in the twentieth century.

The author examines issues such as the rightness of web-based applications, the programming language renaissance, spam filtering, the Open Source Movement, Internet startups and more. He also tells important stories about the kinds of people behind technical innovations, revealing their character and their craft.

Modern art, filled with complex themes and subtle characteristics, is a wonder to view, but can be intimidating for the casual observer to comprehend. In this accessible, practical guide, author and instructor Jon Thompson explores more than 200 works, helping readers to unlock each painting's meaning. Beginning with the Barbizon school and the Realist movement of the mid-19th century and continuing through the 1980s avant-garde, artists including Bonnard, Basquiat, Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Warhol, and Whistler are featured. Thompson describes each artist's use of media and symbolism and provides insightful biographical information. A natural companion to Abrams' "How to Read a Painting," this book is a vibrant, informative trip through one of art history's most compelling periods.

Galenson combines social scientific methods with qualitative analysis to produce a new interpretation of modern art.

"An innovative application of economic methods to the study of art history, demonstrating that new insights can be uncovered by using quantitative and qualitative methods together, which sheds light on longstanding disciplinary inequities"--

The theory and practice of imitation has long been central to the construction of art and yet imitation is still frequently confused with copying. Theorizing Imitation in the Visual Arts challenges this prejudice by revealing the ubiquity of the practice across cultures and geographical borders. This fascinating collection of original essays has been compiled by a group of leading scholars Challenges the prejudice of imitation in art by bringing to bear a perspective that reveals the ubiquity of the practice of imitation across cultural and geographical borders Brings light to a broad range of areas, some of which have been little researched in the past

Eccentric, world-famous Santa Fe artist Adelaide Moran, recently arrived in heaven, is obsessed with not having finished painting the masterpiece that she feels will be so different from all others that it will forever ensure her legacy in the history of art. Invading the dreams of her earthly assistant, Ramon Herrera, she elicits his helpand that of aTaos shaman and a psychicto steal the soul of talented young New York painter Angelina Bonelli. Whisked to New Mexico and held prisoner as she is guided by Morans ghostly hand painting on the masterpiece, Angelina struggles against dark, seemingly immovable forces to find her way back to the reclamation of her soul as an artist and woman. Her best friend, jazz singer Gabriella Burke, and a handsome Santa Fe photographer, Troy Lundberg, join forces in a race against time to rescue Angelina. Bonelli counts Moran as one of her favorite artists, but aches to honor her own artistic expression. Meanwhile, even in death, the spirit of Moran will stop at nothing to become as famous as Georgia OKeeffe. Two painters, but only one set of hands and an art world that may be forever changed.

An indispensable and inspiring guide to creativity in the workplace and beyond, drawing on art, psychology, science, sports, law, business, and technology to help you land big ideas in the practical world. Anyone from CEO to freelancer knows how hard it is to think big, let alone follow up, while under pressure to get things done. Art Thinking offers practical principles, inspiration, and a healthy dose of pragmatism to help you navigate the difficulties of balancing creative thinking with driving toward results. With an MBA and an MFA, Amy Whitaker, an entrepreneur-in-residence at the New Museum Incubator, draws on stories of athletes, managers, writers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and even artists to engage you in the process of “art thinking.” If you are making a work of art in any field, you aren’t going from point A to point B. You are inventing point B. Art Thinking combines the mind-sets of art and the tools of business to protect space for open-ended exploration and manage risks on your way to success. Art Thinking takes you from “Wouldn’t it be cool if . . . ?” to realizing your highest aims, helping you build creative skills you can apply across all facets of business and life. Warm, honest, and unexpected, Art Thinking will help you reimagine your work and life—and even change the world—while enjoying the journey from point A. Art Thinking features 60 line drawings throughout.

It's been nearly a century since Marcel Duchamp exhibited a urinal and called it art. Since then, painting has been declared dead several times over, and contemporary art has now expanded to include just about any object, action, or event: dance routines, slideshows, functional hair salons, seemingly random accretions of waste. In the meantime, being an artist has gone from a join-the-circus fantasy to a plausible vocation for scores of young people in America. But why--and how and by whom--does all this art get made? How is it evaluated? And for what, if anything, will today's artists be remembered? In The Contemporaries, Roger White, himself a young painter, serves as our spirited, skeptical guide through this diffuse creative world.From young artists trying to elbow their way in to those working hard at dropping out, White's essential book offers a once-in-a-generation glimpse of the inner workings of the American art world at a moment of unparalleled ambition, uncertainty, and creative exuberance.