Islands and Contemporary Art

(Hardback)

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In this ground-breaking exploration, Gill Perry looks at the vital role that islands play in contemporary visual arts. Responding to urgent issues such as migration, the climate emergency, and colonial and gendered histories, artists create compelling and provocative works that resonate across continents and colonial archipelagos. Perry navigates landscapes of the British Isles, Ireland, the Caribbean, Pacific Oceania and the Galapagos, drawing on desert island myths and insights from island studies. From the 1970s to the present, she illuminates imaginative representations in installation, multimedia and film projects by renowned artists such as Robert Smithson, Lisa Reihana, Roni Horn, Rodney Graham, Tacita Dean and Cornelia Parker. Rich with diverse perspectives, this book offers a profound journey through the artistic exploration of islands.

Reviews

"Perry has produced something remarkable for anyone interested in contemporary art and culture. Islands and Contemporary Art is a totally captivating and accessible survey of works and ideas illuminating our relationship to islands, both real and imaginary. It addresses important issues about how we value art, literature and film in a way that will be of interest to anyone seeking to understand the forces - ecological, cultural and political - shaping our world."--Michael Corris, Southern Methodist University

Author Bio

Gill Perry is Professor of Art History at the Open University, UK. Her books include Women Artists and the Parisian Avant-garde (1995), Spectacular Flirtations: Viewing the Actress in British Art and Theatre, 17681820 (2007) and Themes in Contemporary Art (editor, 2004).