The Author: Francis Halsall is lecturer in the History and Theory of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National College of Art & Design (Dublin). He has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History (Glasgow). His doctorate focused on sociological theories of art after modernism (and in particular the systems theoretical approach such as that of Niklas Luhmann).

• Contents: Why Does Art History Need Systems-Theory? – What is Systems-Theory? – The Artworld as a Complex System: The Art World and Complex and Distributed Representation – Systems-Aesthetics and the System as Medium – The Work of Art as System – The Gallery as System – Art Discourse as System.

The Author: Francis Halsall is lecturer in the History and Theory of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National College of Art & Design (Dublin). He has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History (Glasgow). His doctorate focused on sociological theories of art after modernism (and in particular the systems theoretical approach such as that of Niklas Luhmann).

• Contents: Why Does Art History Need Systems-Theory? – What is Systems-Theory? – The Artworld as a Complex System: The Art World and Complex and Distributed Representation – Systems-Aesthetics and the System as Medium – The Work of Art as System – The Gallery as System – Art Discourse as System.

The Author: Francis Halsall is lecturer in the History and Theory of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National College of Art & Design (Dublin). He has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History (Glasgow). His doctorate focused on sociological theories of art after modernism (and in particular the systems theoretical approach such as that of Niklas Luhmann).

• Contents: Why Does Art History Need Systems-Theory? – What is Systems-Theory? – The Artworld as a Complex System: The Art World and Complex and Distributed Representation – Systems-Aesthetics and the System as Medium – The Work of Art as System – The Gallery as System – Art Discourse as System.