Nancy G. Heller – författare

The first time she made a pizza from scratch, art historian Nancy Heller made the observation that led her to write this entertaining guide to contemporary art. Comparing modern art not only to pizzas but also to traditional and children's art, Heller shows us how we can refine analytical tools we already possess to understand and enjoy even the most unfamiliar paintings and sculptures. How is a painting like a pizza? Both depend on visual balance for much of their overall appeal and, though both can be judged by a set of established standards, pizzas and paintings must ultimately be evaluated in terms of individual taste. By using such commonsense examples and making unexpected connections, this book helps even the most skeptical viewers feel comfortable around contemporary art and see aspects of it they would otherwise miss. Heller discusses how nontraditional works of art are made--and thus how to talk about their composition and formal elements. She also considers why such art is made and what it "means." At the same time, Heller reassures those of us who have felt uncomfortable around avant-garde art that we don't have to like all--or even any--of it.Yet, if we can relax, we can use the aesthetic awareness developed in everyday life to analyze almost any painting, sculpture, or installation. Heller also gives concise answers to the eight questions she is most frequently asked about contemporary art--from how to tell when an abstract painting is right side up to which works of art belong in a museum. This book is for anyone who agrees with art critic Clement Greenberg that "All profoundly original art looks ugly at first." It's also for anyone who disagrees. It is for anyone who wants to get more out of a museum or gallery visit and would like to be able to say something more than just "yes" or "no" when asked if they like an artist's work.

With its lavish colour illustrations - the paintings and sculptures are all reproduced in full colour - and numerous documentary pictures of the artists themselves, Women Artists: An Illustrated History provides an unprecedented wealth of visual material on the subject. With coverage of the 1990s and the beginning of the new millennium, nearly half of this new edition of Women Artists is now devoted to the remarkable period from 1960 to the present, when women artists emerged as the most dynamic force in contemporary art. New to this edition are innovative contemporary American artists, such as Janine Antoni and Renee Cox, as well as major international figures, including Iran's Shirin Neshat, Shahzia Sikander from Pakistan, and the Icelandic sculptor and performance artist Katrín Sigurdardóttir. As in past editions, all the artists works are represented in large-format colour reproductions, and the artists careers are examined in concise critical biographies.

The revised and updated fifth edition of the classic and indispensable history of women artists from the Renaissance to the present.In this fifth edition of her best-selling survey, Nancy Heller incorporates the most recent discoveries about the women artists of the past—and carries the story forward into the 21st century, with the evocative, sometimes provocative work of artists like Pilar Albarracín, Liza Lou, and Julie Mehretu. This abundantly illustrated volume chronicles five centuries of women painters and sculptors, from Sofonisba Anguissola to Wendy Red Star. Nancy Heller’s text looks unflinchingly at the obstacles that women encountered, such as restricted access to education and apprenticeship, social pressures to marry and mother, and limited opportunities to travel and exhibit. But, at the same time, she emphasises the ingenious ways in which generations of women artists circumvented these obstacles to establish themselves as well-respected professionals. Though some of the artists in this book did not receive their due until centuries after their death, many, such as Lavinia Fontana and Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, achieved local or even international fame in their lifetimes. Featuring over more than 200 reproductions—all in full colour—as well as portraits of the artists themselves, Women Artists is an indispensable addition to every bookshelf devoted to art history or women’s studies.