21st century – Art in the First Decade

A friend asked me to recommend to them a good book on contemporary art. There has not been a book solely about contemporary art produced in New Zealand in the last year or so. In Australia, a good one was published by Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art during 2010.

21st century – Art in the First Decade is an up to the minute book and the art in it feels contemporary. By that, I don't mean art made since 1950 but art coming from the present generation. That is 15 years, according to statisticians.

I recommend 21st century – Art in the First Decade. Miranda Wallace edits it with assurance and the essays are free of rhetoric and cant. [ISBN 9781921503177].

This book was the catalogue to a temporary exhibition held in Brisbane from December 2010 to April 2011 that consisted of 216 items held in the GoMA collection. It is a fresh take on contemporary art. The sort of art show that is brilliant to experience. Makes one realise that Queensland is collecting contemporary international art in a major way.

New Zealand artists like Campbell Patterson, John Pule and Fiona Pardington are included. Ask your local library to obtain a copy for you to read.