What is contemporary art, and how did art come to be what it is today? How can we understand what a work of art means; and can't just about anything be called art these days?

Contemporary Art Decoded takes ten key questions about contemporary art and uses them to what you're looking at, how it works, and why it matters. Steering clear of jargon, this book digs deep into the core ideas and concepts behind the art. It features some work you'll recognise, and some you won't, from some of the most exciting artists working today, such as Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, Yayoi Kusama and Zanele Muholi.

This book is guaranteed to make your next trip to a gallery more rewarding.

Chapters include:

- What is contemporary art?
- Where did it come from?
- Where do you draw the line?
- Does it matter who makes it?
- Does it have to mean something?
- Can anything be art?
- What about art for art's sake?
- Has it all been done before?
- Does it have to be so serious?
- What's next?

About the Author

Jessica Cerasi is Assistant Curator for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi project at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. She has previously worked as Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at the UK Government Art Collection, Assistant Curator of the 2019 Venice Biennale, Assistant Curator of the 2016 Biennale of Sydney, Exhibitions Manager at Carroll/Fletcher gallery, and Curatorial Assistant at London's Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre. She has taught a popular course on Demystifying Contemporary Art at Tate Modern, and is the co-author of Who's Afraid of Contemporary Art, published in 2017.


TATE is home to the United Kingdom's national collection of British, and international modern and contemporary art, with its collection shared between Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. Ilex is proud to partner with Tate, supporting the gallery in its mission to promote public understanding and enjoyment of art.

Book Information
ISBN 9781781577455
Author Jessica Cerasi
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Ilex
Publisher Octopus Publishing Group
Weight(grams) 1080g
Dimensions(mm) 256mm * 206mm * 24mm