It’s interesting people either love or hate Hal Foster. I sit in the middle ground – while I love the two books he edited – Recodings, and The Anti-Aesthetic, I’ve never been too turned on by just his writing in the long form. I’ve always thought he was best in middle size essays.
By the way – did I say I love both Recodings, and The Anti-Aesthetic? I did and I still do. They seem to me to be two of the most critical anthologies of art criticism of the last 30 years. I assume most artists have read these and am always surprised and a bit let down when I find out otherwise.
I think the Clark award is noteworthy because the arts community (commercial side) has been marginalizing criticism for some time now – this was especially true in the period between 2005 – 2009 when the commercial side of the market was booming.
Foster was selected by a three-member jury:
- Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
- Bruce W. Ferguson, independent curator and critic
- András Szántó, Senior Lecturer at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York
I’ve spent far too much time away from writers such as Foster, Owens and other Postmodern theorists. I remember checking out Art after Modernism (among others) from our school libary for at least a year and a half. I don’t think they let me graduate until I returned it. Should have just bought it.
http://www.amazon.com/Art-After-Modernism-Rethinking-Representation/dp/0879236329/ref=pd_rhf_shvl_3
Steve:
The Anti-Aesthetic is just a great collection.
I’ll admit some of it is so absorbed into art now that it’s just a given and to read it now is sometimes a little bit off putting.
M