Simon Armstrong – författare

Street Art is a phenomenon and subcultural movement that reaches from the darkest urban backstreets to the most glamorous international art fairs. Simon Armstrong examines how it evolved from its origins in the 1970s New York graffiti scene to embrace many new materials, styles and techniques along the way, tracing how this marginal art form graduated into art galleries and the art market, while also heavily influencing design, fashion, advertising and visual culture. Despite having earned a place in the canon of 20th-century art history, Street Art’s qualifications are often disputed both by the art establishment and practitioners themselves, all concerned with notions of authenticity. Examining Street Art’s controversial history in detail, this book provides a full-colour worldwide journey, taking in all of the movement’s significant artists and artworks, styles, materials and methods, and showcasing the works that have come to define it more than any other. It also examines its close relationship to Pop Art and Digital Art, and explores possible futures for Street Art.

Welcome to Cool Art! This fact-tastic book is packed with reasons why art is cooler than you'd ever imagine. Learn why the Mona Lisa has no eyebrows, which artist liked to throw artichokes around, and how to paint like Monet.Discover exactly how strange the Surrealists were, how Duchamp made art out of plumbing, and how art can truly change your life.From Caravaggio to Banksy, the Renaissance to Minimalism, explore the ideas, meaning and techniques behind the world’s masterpieces, with a hefty dose of fun along the way. Much more than a basic history of art, this fascinating book will teach you how colour works, how to have a profound experience in an art gallery, and where to see the best art in the world.Packed with intriguing and playful images, Cool Art is the ideal gift for all ages – not only will it engage young people in creative ideas, it will provide a feast of useful facts for adults to impress their friends with at dinner parties.