Description
Book SynopsisAllan deSouza examines the popular terminology through which art is discussed, valued, and taught, showing how pedagogical language and practices within art schools can adapt to a politicized and rapidly changing world, as well as to the demands of contemporary art within a global industry.
Trade Review"Allan deSouza has done the art world an extraordinary service. . . . As a handbook,
How Art Can Be Thought is stunning and successful—deeply informed by critical theory, yet in all aspects oriented toward practical use in the field, so to speak." -- Taylor Eggan * Discursive Impulse *
"This book is a detailed, thorough, and comprehensive discussion concerning all aspects of contemporary art. de Souza opens a 'can of worms' on almost every page, exposing long-held myths about art practice, what art is, and if in fact we can really say anything meaningful about the whole 'art world' at all. . . . Very well written and highly readable. It is a must read for all art educators, art students, curators, art critics and faculty at academic institutions where art is still included in the curriculum." -- Rob Harle * Leonardo Reviews *
"Juggling . . . the conceptual and practical . . . is no easy task and deSouza does a good job. . . . One of the strengths of the book is deSouza’s reflection on language — its importance to the project of decolonization and to artistic meaning/expression. -- Alpesh Kantilal Patel * Hyperallergic *
"DeSouza shatters the trope of the handbook as static, watered-down theory. Instead, we enter an electric dialogue steeped in the vein of Paulo Freire and bell hooks. . . . With its accessible writing and contemporary perspective,
How Art Can Be Thought should be required reading for art educators, administrators, art historians, critics and those interested in critical pedagogy." -- Ashley Hosbach * ARLIS/NA Reviews *
"
How Art Can Be Thought is indeed a practical handbook and offers a comprehensive account of current art debates in the art world. To decolonize those debates, deSouza provides a rich and detailed pedagogical framework that can be adapted to shape new debates." -- Uschi Klein * Visual Studies *
Table of ContentsImage Notes vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction. A Foot in the Door 1
1. How
Art Can Be Thought 21
2. Entry Points 35
3. How Art Can Be Taught 57
4. Critique as Radical Prototype 67
5. How Art Can Be Spoken: A Glossary of Contested Terms 85
Afterwords.
How, Now, Rothko? 365
Notes 283
Bibliography 303
Index 309
