ISMs – serie

A box of beautifully designed foldout posters featuring acclaimed artist Jenny Holzer’s celebrated TruismsHolzer-isms: Artist’s Edition presents a selection of artist Jenny Holzer’s Truisms (1977–79)—subtly subversive declarations such as ABUSE OF POWER COMES AS NO SURPRISE—on six foldout posters designed by the artist.Important and influential works of word-art, Truisms are single-sentence statements resembling existing aphorisms, maxims, and clichés. By distilling difficult and contentious ideas into seemingly straightforward statements of fact, they examine the social construction of beliefs, mores, and truths. First displayed on anonymous street posters pasted throughout downtown Manhattan, they have since appeared on T-shirts, hats, electronic signs, stone floors, and benches.The stunning posters in Holzer-isms: Artist’s Edition come in a special cloth-covered, foil-stamped box, which also features a booklet containing an introduction to Truisms, a biography of Holzer, and a brief chronology of her career. The result is a unique way to experience Holzer’s powerful and provocative word-based art.Holzer-isms contains:Six 21.5” wide × 31.5” high (55 cm × 80 cm) foldout postersA booklet featuring an introduction, a biography of Holzer, and a brief chronology of her career

This collection of quotes demonstrates the elegant simplicity of Ai Weiwei's thoughts on key aspects of his art, politics, and life. A master at communicating powerful ideas in astonishingly few words, Ai Weiwei is known for his innovative use of social media to disseminate his views. The short quotations presented here have been carefully selected from articles, tweets, and interviews given by this acclaimed Chinese artist and activist. The book is organized into six categories: freedom of expression; art and activism; government, power, and moral choices; the digital world; history, the historical moment, and the future; and personal reflections. Together, these quotes span some of the most revealing moments of Ai Weiwei's eventful career--from his risky investigation into student deaths in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake to his arbitrary arrest in 2011--providing a window into the mind of one of the world's most electrifying and courageous contemporary artists. Select Quotes from the Book: On Freedom of Expression *"Say what you need to say plainly, and then take responsibility for it." *"A small act is worth a million thoughts." *"Liberty is about our rights to question everything."On Art and Activism *"Everything is art. Everything is politics." *"The art always wins. Anything can happen to me, but the art will stay." *"Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it. I don't feel that much anger. I equally have a lot of joy." On Government, Power, and Making Moral Choices *"Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart and no one can take it. Then, you can be more powerful than a whole country." *"I feel powerless all the time, but I regain my energy by making a very small difference that won't cost me much." *"Tips on surviving the regime: Respect yourself and speak for others. Do one small thing every day to prove the existence of justice." On the Digital World *"Only with the Internet can a peasant I have never met hear my voice and I can learn what's on his mind. A fairy tale has come true." *"The Internet is uncontrollable. And if the Internet is uncontrollable, freedom will win. It's as simple as that." *"The Internet is the best thing that could have happened to China." On History, the Historical Moment, and the Future *"If a nation cannot face its past, it has no future." *"We need to get out of the old language."*"The world is a sphere, there is no East or West." Personal Reflections *"I've never planned any part of my career-- except being an artist. And I was pushed into that corner because I thought being an artist was the only way to have a little freedom." *"Anyone fighting for freedom does not want to totally lose their freedom." *"Expressing oneself is like a drug. I'm so addicted to it."

Writings on human life and the refugee crisis by the most important political artist of our timeAi Weiwei (b. 1957) is widely known as an artist across media: sculpture, installation, photography, performance, and architecture. He is also one of the world's most important artist-activists and a powerful documentary filmmaker. His work and art call attention to attacks on democracy and free speech, abuses of human rights, and human displacement--often on an epic, international scale.This collection of quotations demonstrates the range of Ai Weiwei's thinking on humanity and mass migration, issues that have occupied him for decades. Selected from articles, interviews, and conversations, Ai Weiwei's words speak to the profound urgency of the global refugee crisis, the resilience and vulnerability of the human condition, and the role of art in providing a voice for the voiceless.Select quotations from the book:"This problem has such a long history, a human history. We are all refugees somehow, somewhere, and at some moment.""Allowing borders to determine your thinking is incompatible with the modern era.""Art is about aesthetics, about morals, about our beliefs in humanity. Without that there is simply no art.""I don't care what all people think. My work belongs to the people who have no voice."

A collection of essential quotations and other writings from artist and icon Jean-Michel BasquiatOne of the most important artists of the late twentieth century, Jean-Michel Basquiat explored the interplay of words and images throughout his career as a celebrated painter with an instantly recognizable style. In his paintings, notebooks, and interviews, he showed himself to be a powerful and creative writer and speaker as well as image-maker. Basquiat-isms is a collection of essential quotations from this godfather of urban culture. In these brief, compelling, and memorable selections, taken from his interviews as well as his visual and written works, Basquiat writes and speaks about culture, his artistic persona, the art world, artistic influence, race, urban life, and many other subjects. Concise, direct, forceful, poetic, and enigmatic, Basquiat’s words, like his art, continue to resonate.Select quotations from the book:"I cross out words so you will see them more; the fact that they are obscured makes you want to read them.""I think there are a lot of people that are neglected in art, I don’t know if it’s because of who made the paintings or what, but, um . . . black people are never really portrayed realistically or I mean not even portrayed in modern art.""Since I was 17, I thought I might be a star.""The more I paint the more I like everything.""I think I make art for myself, but ultimately I think I make it for the world."

Essential quotations from renowned artist and pop icon Keith Haring Keith Haring remains one of the most important and celebrated artists of his generation and beyond. Through his signature bold graphic line drawings of figures and forms dancing and grooving, Haring’s paintings, large-scale public murals, chalk drawings, and singular graffiti style defined an era and brought awareness to social issues ranging from gay rights and AIDS to drug abuse prevention and a woman’s right to choose. Haring-isms is a collection of essential quotations from this creative thinker and legendary artist.Gathered from Haring’s journals and interviews, these lively quotes reveal his influences and thoughts on a variety of topics, including birth and death, possibility and uncertainty, and difference and conformity. They demonstrate Haring’s deep engagement with subjects outside of the art world and his outspoken commitment to activism. Taken together, this selection reflects Haring’s distinctive voice and reminds us why his work continues to resonate with fans around the globe.Select quotations from the book:“Art lives through the imaginations of the people who are seeing it. Without that contact, there is no art.”“It’s a huge world. There are lots and lots and lots of people that I haven’t reached yet that I’d like to reach.”“Art is one of the last areas that is totally within the realm of the human individual and can’t be copied or done better by a machine.”“The artist, if he is a vessel, is also a performer.”“No matter how long you work, it’s always going to end sometime. And there’s always going to be things left undone.”“I decided to make a major break. New York was the only place to go.”“I came to believe there was no such thing as chance. If you accept that there are no coincidences, you use whatever comes along.”“There was a migration of artists from all over America to New York. It was completely wild. And we controlled it ourselves.”“I couldn’t go back to the abstract drawings; it had to have some connection to the real world.”

A collection of essential quotations from the renowned fashion designer, DJ, and stylistAbloh-isms is a collection of essential quotations from American fashion designer, DJ, and stylist Virgil Abloh, who was a major creative figure in the worlds of pop culture and art. Abloh began his career as Kanye West’s creative director before founding the luxury streetwear label Off-White and becoming artistic director for Louis Vuitton, making Abloh the first American of African descent to hold that title at a French fashion house. Defying categorization, Abloh’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at museums and galleries, most notably in a major retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Gathered from interviews and other sources, this selection of compelling and memorable quotations from the designer reveals his thoughts on a wide range of subjects, including creativity, passion, innovation, race, and what it means to be an artist of his generation. Lively and thought-provoking, these quotes reflect Abloh’s unique perspective as a trailblazer in his fields.Select quotations from the book:“I believe that coincidence is key, but coincidence is energies coming towards each other. You have to be moving to meet it.”“Life is collaboration. Where I think art can be sort of misguided is that it propagates this idea of itself as a solo love affair—one person, one idea, no one else involved.”“Black influence has created a new ecosystem, which can grow and support different types of life that we couldn’t before."

A collection of compelling quotations from a rising star in contemporary art, architecture, and designThe work of renowned contemporary artist Daniel Arsham blurs the lines between art, architecture, archeology, and design. In his distinctive style, he takes ancient art works and objects from twentieth-century pop culture and casts sculptures of them in geological materials such as quartz or volcanic ash, colliding past, present, and future in haunted yet playful visions that prompt viewers to question their everyday surroundings. Gathered from interviews and other sources, Arsham-isms is a collection of lively, thought-provoking, and memorable quotations from this exciting young creative talent on a wide range of subjects—including art, architecture, film, design, pop culture, the art world, and what it means to be a globally recognized artist today.Select quotations from the book:“Art needs to be a little dangerous.”“You don’t have to own the thing to be part of it.”“This work for me is not about progress. It is about destruction and growth and where they are able to meet in the middle.”

A collection of fascinating quotations from the legendary artist and graffiti pioneerFutura is a living legend—a world-renowned painter, designer, and photographer who was a pioneer of graffiti art and New York City’s “subway school.” His radical abstract work in the street and on canvas established him as a central figure in an important art movement that included Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Rammellzee, Lee Quiñones, and Dondi White. Futura-isms is a collection of essential quotations from this fascinating artist. Gathered from four decades of interviews and panel discussions, this memorable selection illuminates Futura’s thoughts on legal and illegal art, his influences, fellow artists, and the past, present, and future. He also offers colorful memories of his adventurous life—growing up in New York City, serving in the Navy, touring with The Clash—and reflects on how his experiences have shaped his art.Select quotations from the book:“Graffiti was a way for me to exist. I wanted the world to know my name. I wanted to be somebody.”“The essence of what graffiti is . . . is creating this identity and taking it to the public.”“My whole life, I think, I’ve been a nomad.”“I was always at home in the subway system.”“People say, ‘Let’s play within the rules.’ I say, ‘No—let’s break the rules a little bit.’”

A unique collection of brilliant quotations from the legendary Pop artistOne of the most influential artists of his time and ours, Andy Warhol is nearly as renowned for what he said as for what he did. Indeed, he is so quotable that things he never said are endlessly and plausibly attributed to him, including, fittingly, the most celebrated fake Warhol saying—“In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” Warhol-isms separates legend from fact to present a unique and comprehensive collection of authentic quotations from the Pop artist. Gathered from interviews and other primary sources, these deadpan, droll, ironic, and sincere gems—in which a superficial embrace of superficiality often disguises provocative, unconventional ideas—provide compelling insights into the life and work of an artist who has left an indelible mark on art and popular culture.Select quotations from the book:I think an artist is anybody who does something well.I went to [a psychiatrist] once, and he never called me back.They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.I’ve never met a person I couldn’t call a beauty.New things are always better than old things.I’m still a commercial artist. I was always a commercial artist.

A powerful collection of quotations from iconic artist and activist Yoko OnoOno-isms is a collection of provocative and powerful quotations from influential artist, musician, songwriter, and peace activist Yoko Ono, providing a richer understanding of this important cultural icon. Since emerging on the international art scene in the early 1960s, Ono has made profound contributions to visual and performance art, filmmaking, and music in work that often radically questions the division between art and the everyday. In recent years she has embraced social media to communicate her artistic and activist messages to even broader audiences around the world.Gathered from interviews, books, song lyrics, social media, and other sources, this nuanced book sheds new light on a complex and multifaceted artist who has shaped our culture in countless ways. The quotations—close to 300 in all—are arranged by subject: art, life, creativity, nature and the environment, love, music, women in society, and peace and social justice. The book also features an introduction and a chronology of Ono’s life and work.“I’ve never seen a line between music and art and performance. And that’s a problem for some people.”“I think that all women are witches, in the sense that a witch is a magical being. And a wizard, which is a male version of a witch, is kind of revered, and people respect wizards. But a witch, my god, we have to burn them.”“I think if you have a persona you show the world that’s separate from your true personality, the strain becomes too much. What [John Lennon and I] decided was just to be ourselves. We didn’t have a conference about it or anything. It’s just the most relaxing way to be.”“I can take hatred, because I don’t believe that people are capable of real hate. We are too lonely for that. We vanish too quickly for that. Do you ever hate a cloud?”“Concentrate your mind on giving, loving, and thanking. Each time you give, you are in less pain. Give as much as you can. Find something you can love. Love as much as you can. Thank as much as you can.”

The description for this book, Lennon-isms, will be forthcoming.

A revealing collection of quotations from world-renowned artist Damien HirstHirst-isms is a collection of quotations—bold, surprising, often humorous, and always insightful—from celebrated artist Damien Hirst, whose controversial work explores the connections between art, religion, science, life, and death. Emerging in the 1990s as a leading member of the Young British Artists (YBAs), Hirst first became famous and gained a reputation as a provocateur with a series of artworks featuring dead and sometimes dissected animals (including a shark, sheep, and cow) preserved in glass tanks filled with formaldehyde.Gathered from interviews and other primary sources and organized by subject, these quotations explore Hirst’s early years, family life, and the beginnings of his fascination with art; the major themes of his work; his influences and heroes; his motivation; his process and the boundary-pushing production of his work; and his thoughts on the art world, fame, and money. The result is a comprehensive and nuanced book that sheds new light on a fascinating and important contemporary artist.Select quotations from the book:“The less I feel like an artist, the better I feel.”“I like it when people love my art. I like it when people hate my art. I just don’t want them to ignore my art.”“Painting’s like the most fabulous illusion, because there’s nothing at stake. Except yourself.”“I’m interested in the confusion between art and life, I like it when the world gets in the way.”“Sometimes you have to step over the edge to know where it is.”

An essential, inspiring collection of quotations about creativity, social justice, and more from musician, producer, artist, and designer Pharrell WilliamsRising to global fame with his hit single “Happy,” Pharrell Williams has influenced every corner of music, from cowriting and producing the monumental track “Alright” with Kendrick Lamar to composing music for the Academy Award–winning film Hidden Figures. But his work also extends to fashion, design, and the visual arts, and he has collaborated with leading artists and designers, including Takashi Murakami, Daniel Arsham, and Comme des Garçons. Gathered from interviews and other sources, this compelling and provocative collection of quotations offers new insights into the personality and creative process of one of today’s most exciting and intriguing artists.Select quotations from the book:Self-awareness is a muscle that needs exercise. It needs a regimen.You’ve got to continue to reinvent yourself today, all the while thinking about tomorrow.Music is the key, the skeleton key that’s opened every door for me.There is no humanity without education. There is no education without demand.The only way to make life better for yourself, the only true and lasting way, is to make life better for others.

A collection of inspiring and provocative quotations from pioneering artist, feminist, and activist Judy ChicagoA fierce activist for women’s rights and against climate change, Judy Chicago defines herself best: “I’m Judy Chicago, and I’m an artist and a troublemaker.” A leader of the Women’s Art Movement of the 1970s, Chicago also founded the first feminist art program in the United States. She is renowned for her monumental installation The Dinner Party (1974–1979), an iconic work that celebrates female luminaries from history and mythology, including Georgia O’Keeffe, Emily Dickinson, Sojourner Truth, and Hatshepsut. Gathered from interviews and other sources, Judy Chicago-isms is an inspiring collection of the memorable and powerful words of a trailblazing artist.“You don’t have to be a man to support a patriarchal worldview, and you don’t have to be a woman to support feminist values.”“You have to choose hope. Hope comes from feeling that you’re on the side of right and fighting for it. If you’re a passive observer to what’s going on, it’s easy to give in to despair.”“Feminist art is all the stages of a woman giving birth to herself.”“[Women] should get fifty percent of the space in all institutions. That is what our mandate has to be.”

A vivid and compelling collection of quotations from the influential contemporary artist and filmmaker Shirin NeshatNeshat-isms is an exciting collection of quotations from award-winning Iranian-American visual artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat. Her experiences of loss and grief as an Iranian woman living in exile are central themes of her work in photography, video, and film. She is known for her outspoken advocacy for Iranian women and human rights, and for poetic and politically charged images and narratives that raise questions about power, religion, race, and gender. Gathered from interviews, talks, and writings, these powerful and thought-provoking quotations showcase the voice of one of the most important artists of our time.“Through my work I have continued to defy and resist the Western clichéd image of Iranian women as passive victims. While acknowledging the repressive situation in Iran, I have continued to represent Iranian women as empowered, courageous, defiant, and rebellious.”“Every Iranian artist, in one form or another, is political. Politics has defined our lives.”“I’ve done a lot of work about women in a state of madness, where ultimately they find a kind of freedom.”“You can’t demystify a myth.”

A collection of fascinating and provocative quotations from the world-renowned performance artistMarina Abramović is arguably the most important and influential performance artist of our time. For decades, she has broken boundaries in iconic works such as The Artist Is Present (2010), where she sat in silence across from members of the public at the Museum of Modern Art for eight hours a day for three months, and Rhythm 0 (1974), a six-hour performance in which she stood next to a table holding seventy-two objects, including a scalpel and a loaded gun, and a sign suggesting audience members could do to her whatever they wanted. Gathered from interviews, lectures, writings, and other sources, Abramović-isms is a unique collection of quotations that offers a window into the mind of this iconic trailblazer.“Artists have to be free human beings. They have to have the complete freedom to express their ideas with no restrictions.”“Our body is an absolute replica of the Universe, and this is why I took to studying myself—by studying myself, I can understand everything else and everybody else.”“Beauty doesn’t have a definition. What is important is what moves you.”“Don’t ever call me the grandmother of performance art. Just call me a warrior.”

A collection of compelling quotations from JR—the renowned French photographer, street artist, and activistJR is perhaps best known for taking portraits of regular people, reproducing the images at a monumental scale, and pasting them on the sides of buildings in the subjects’ neighborhoods. Among his many other notable projects are a gigantic photo of a child peering over the top of the barrier at the US-Mexico border and an enormous mural of inmates that covers the ground of an outdoor exercise yard at a California prison. Collected from interviews, writings, and other sources, JR-isms is an inspiring and thought-provoking collection of quotations from the exciting artist and activist, whose work reaches far beyond the traditional art world, from the streets of New York to the suburbs of Paris and the favelas of Brazil.“I was writing my names on walls to say ‘I exist,’ then I started pasting pictures of people with their names to say they exist.”“Art is not supposed to change the world. It can offer a new perspective, a new look, break down the walls we build between us, and humanize the ‘other.’ ”“I always make sure in my art that I even confront my own perspective.”“You know what they say, that the criminal always goes back to the crime scene? It works the same for the artist. When you do something in the street, you come back to see how people approach it. No one knows it’s you, but you’re right there.”

A revealing collection of quotations from the world-renowned artist and political activist behind the iconic Obama “Hope” poster and the “Obey Giant” street-art campaignShepard Fairey is one of today’s most important and influential street artists, activists, and graphic designers. His instantly recognizable designs—“André the Giant has a Posse,” “Obey Giant,” the Obama “Hope” poster, and the “We the People” posters for the 2017 Women’s March—have become an indelible part of visual culture, appearing in countless media, including stickers, stencils, prints, T-shirts, album covers, murals, and fine art. Fairey-isms is a compelling collection of quotations from this fascinating artist. Gathered from interviews, articles, and other sources, these quotations offer rich insights about his life and work, including his thoughts on art, creativity, politics, and propaganda and his reflections on his influences—from skateboarding, The Clash, and Public Enemy to Russian Constructivism and artists such as Futura, Barbara Kruger, and Andy Warhol.“I use the word ‘Obey’ in much of my art as a form of reverse psychology. Though most people wish they were independent, many obediently follow the path of least resistance and are uncomfortable with confronting the word ‘Obey.’”“Any message that’s worth delivering can be amplified with art.”“I called my work propaganda out of an understanding that there’s an irony, because every piece of visual communication has an agenda. Any of it could be called propaganda.”“Repetition works.”

A collection of inspiring and empowering quotations from an artist noted for her frank treatment of sex—and for her portraits of Madonna, Pamela Anderson, Lady Gaga, and LizzoSince the 1980s, Marilyn Minter has been a pioneer of sex-positive feminism in the contemporary art world, pushing the boundaries of what kind of imagery is acceptable in fine art, especially when produced by women. In her photorealistic paintings, including of celebrities such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Lizzo, Minter draws on the aesthetics of fashion magazines, depicting cropped women’s faces and bodies laden with jewels and couture accessories. In some of her work, she has explored how the meaning of pornographic imagery changes when it’s appropriated and transformed by a woman artist. Gathered from interviews, articles, and other sources, Minter-isms is a compelling collection of quotations that presents Minter’s revealing thoughts on art, women, power, sexuality, pornography, politics, and more. Filled with wisdom and humor, the book offers new insights about the life, work, and mind of this groundbreaking artist.“I used to think I was the worst person that ever lived, and that’s pretty narcissistic of me. I wasn’t even close.”“My whole goal was to see if it would change the meaning if women owned sexual imagery, if we actually started making imagery for our own pleasure and amusement.”“When it comes to sexual imagery even the most enlightened people can become paralyzed.”“I’m really glad to see mediocre women artists getting lots of attention, because the boys have been doing it for years. It’s about time we’re allowed mediocre women, too.”

A collection of provocative quotations from one of the most influential artists of the twentieth centuryDuchamp-isms is a selection of illuminating quotations from Marcel Duchamp (1887–1968), one of the most important figures in the history of modern art. A painter, sculptor, writer, and chess player, Duchamp changed the very definition of art with his “readymades”—everyday objects such as a bicycle wheel or bottle rack that he titled, signed, and presented as art. He provoked critics and the public with works such as the Cubist-Futurist painting Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 (1912) and Fountain (1917), a readymade composed of a men’s urinal signed “R. Mutt.” Prizing the intellectual over the aesthetic, Duchamp inspired later movements like Minimalism, Conceptualism, and Pop Art. Delightful and witty, Duchamp-isms offers rich insights into the mind of a true icon of modern art.The quotes in Duchamp-isms, drawn primarily from interviews, have been selected and introduced by Francis Naumann, a leading authority on Duchamp, and organized in eight thematic sections: philosophies of art; painting; Dada and Surrealism; the readymades; chess; literary influences; commercialism in art; and philosophies of life and death. The book also features a brief chronology of Duchamp’s life and career.“I have always had a horror of being a ‘professional’ painter. The minute you become that, you are lost.”“Humor and laughter—not necessarily derogatory derision—are my pet tools. This may come from my general philosophy of never taking the world too seriously—for fear of dying of boredom.”“Art can never be adequately defined, because the translation of an aesthetic emotion into a verbal description is as inaccurate as your description of fear when you have been actually scared.”“Art never saved the world. It cannot.”

A dazzling collection of quotations from the modern American artist whose mobiles are beloved worldwideCalder-isms is a collection of fascinating, irreverent, and often profound quotations from the influential modern American sculptor Alexander Calder (1898–1976), who is most famous for his invention of what his friend Marcel Duchamp dubbed the “mobile.” Often suspended from ceilings, these sculptures feature abstract elements, frequently painted in bold colors, that move and balance in changing harmony. Calder’s art was dynamic, unconventional, and filled with vitality—qualities also displayed by his words, which combine the wisdom of a philosopher with the ingenuity of a true original. Taken from interviews, writings, and other sources, the quotations in Calder-isms offer memorable insights into Calder’s life, mind, and, above all, art.“Why must art be static? You look at an abstraction, sculptured or painted, an intensely exciting arrangement of planes, spheres, nuclei, entirely without meaning. It would be perfect, but it is always still. The next step in sculpture is motion.”“That visit to Mondrian gave me the shock that converted me. It was like the baby being slapped to make his lungs start working.”“[A mobile] has no utility and no meaning. It is simply beautiful. It has a great emotional effect if you understand it. Of course if it meant anything it would be easier to understand, but it would not be worthwhile.”“A title is just like the license plate on the back of a car. You use it to say which one you’re talking about.”“People think monuments should come out of the ground, never out of the ceiling, but mobiles can be monumental too.”“Bad taste always boomerangs.”

A thought-provoking collection of quotations from one of the most influential figures in the contemporary art worldHans Ulrich Obrist is one of the most celebrated curators working today and has twice been ranked #1 on ArtReview’s annual list of the most important people in the art world. As the primary or lead author of more than forty volumes of interviews with contemporary artists, of numerous exhibition catalogues for museums around the world, and of influential books on curation, he has established himself as a pivotal figure in contemporary art and culture. Drawn from Obrist’s writings, interviews, and other sources, Obrist-isms gathers a wealth of fascinating quotations from across his career, offering insights on everything from his approach to curating and his affinity with philosopher Édouard Glissant to his interest in artists’ unrealized projects.Obrist-isms is organized into seven thematic sections: Early Years; Curating and Exhibitions; Artists and Conversations; Archiving, Collecting, and Unrealized Projects; Édouard Glissant and Mondialité; On Sleep and Time; Art and the Environment; and Technology and the Future of Art. The book also features an introduction and a brief chronology of Obrist’s life and career.“Art is the highest form of hope.”“The motor, the engine, is curiosity. Curating is connected to curiosity.”“What is happening outside the museum is just as important as what’s happening inside. Make the walls porous. Think beyond exhibitions. Foster alliances.”“If there was ever a time that the world needed artists, it is now. We need their radical ideas, visions, and perspectives in society.”“There are many amazing unrealized projects out there: forgotten projects, misunderstood projects, lost projects, desk-drawer projects, poetic-utopian dream projects, unrealizable projects, partially realized projects, censored projects and so on.”“I believe in generosity as a medium.”

A collection of evocative quotations from the pioneering artist that offer insights into her ideas about art and the natural worldGeorgia O’Keeffe was one of the most important and influential artists of the twentieth century. Bridging representation and abstraction, she depicted plants, flowers, cityscapes, and landscapes in iconic paintings whose unique style has become an indelible part of our visual culture. Drawn from her published writings, letters, interviews, and other sources, the quotes in O’Keeffe-isms provide insights into her artistic philosophy, creative process, and profound connection to the desert landscapes of New Mexico and the American Southwest. Poetic, fearless, and introspective, O’Keeffe-isms provides a vivid window into the mind of a beloved modernist artist who forged her own path.“I have wanted to paint the desert and I haven’t known how. I always think that I cannot stay with it long enough. So I brought home the bleached bones as my symbols of the desert. To me they are as beautiful as anything I know.”“I do not like the idea of happiness—it is too momentary—I would say that I was always busy and interested in something—interest has more meaning to me than the idea of happiness.”“The men decided they didn’t want me to paint New York. They wouldn’t let me. They told me to ‘leave New York to the men.’ I was furious!”“I’ll tell you how I happened to make the blown-up flowers. In the twenties, huge buildings sometimes seemed to be going up overnight in New York. At that time I saw a painting by Fantin-Latour, a still-life with flowers I found very beautiful, but I realized that were I to paint the same flowers so small, no one would look at them because I was unknown. So I thought I’ll make them big like the huge buildings going up. People will be startled; they’ll have to look at them—and they did.”“You decide on the kind of person you want to be, and then you get at it. It’s like a habit of neatness.”

A collection of compelling quotations from iconic painter Frida KahloFrida Kahlo (1907–1954) has achieved a legendary status in the visual world. A master of the self-portrait, she celebrated Mexican culture and heritage in her work while also intimately and poignantly exploring identity, gender, sexuality, disability, race, and the body. Drawn from Kahlo’s diaries, letters, interviews, and other sources, Kahlo-isms is a powerful, revealing, and memorable collection of quotations from throughout her life. Fierce, individual, and introspective, Kahlo’s words offer a vivid, immediate window into the life, mind, and spirit of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century.“I drank to drown my pain, but the damned pain learned how to swim.”“There have been two great accidents in my life. One was the trolley, and the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst.”“Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?”“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.”“Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light.”

A collection of provocative quotations from the innovative and influential modern artist Man RayThe painter, photographer, sculptor, and filmmaker Man Ray (1890–1976) was one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century and was responsible for some of its most important innovations. With a career spanning Cubism, Dadaism, and Surrealism, he pioneered the use of light painting, photograms (which he called “Rayograms”), and solarization. Man Ray-isms presents a collection of his quotations drawn from interviews, writings, letters, and other sources. Poetic, enigmatic, and provocative, Man Ray-isms offers rare insight into the mind of one of the most original and visionary modern artists.“It has never been my object to record my dreams, just the determination to realize them.”“A creator needs only one enthusiast to justify him.”“I paint what cannot be photographed, that which comes from the imagination or from dreams, or from an unconscious drive.”“I photograph the things that I do not wish to paint, the things which already have an existence.”“One of the satisfactions of a genius is his will-power and obstinacy.”“I have been accused of being a joker. But the most successful art to me involves humor.”

An updated edition of the pocket-sized guide to the 'isms' of modern art.This is a handy guide to the art 'isms' of the modern day. From Impressionism and the birth of modern art to street art and Internationalism of the 21st century, it gives you a practical introduction to all the significant 'isms' that have shaped modern art history. For each 'ism', there is a clear definition, an introduction to the topic, lists of key artists, key words, and leading works from the movement, as well as references to other 'isms' that you might be interested in.This new edition of the original bestselling title now includes four brand new chapters covering Archive Art, Neo-Formalism, Post-Internet Art and Virtual Reality.This book is a must for anyone with an interest in modern art - whether you are an occasional visitor to galleries, an art student or art connoisseur.

A new edition of the bestselling introduction to the 'isms' of art.This is an easy-to-use guide to a wide range of art 'isms'. From the 'isms' of the Renaissance to the 'isms' of the present day, it gives you a practical introduction to all the significant 'isms' that have shaped art history. For each 'ism', there is a definition, an introduction to the topic, lists of key artists, keywords, and major works as well as suggestions of other 'isms' that you might be interested in.This is a new edition of the original bestselling title which now includes four brand-new chapters covering Digitalism, Activism, Superflat and Internationalism. This book is a must for everyone who is interested in art - whether you are a Sunday afternoon art gallery visitor, art student or already an art connoisseur.