The Newest Art. Beyond Modernism

Twentieth-century art is not aimed at visual pleasure; it demands engagement and meaningful interaction with it. This edition helps you navigate a complex system of visual languages, where behind apparent disorder lies an ordered structure of meanings that challenges the usual understanding of beauty. Valeria Kosyakova, Candidate of Cultural Studies and Associate Professor at RSUH, and Dmitry Pozdnjakov, a cultural scholar studying the history and theory of film and visual arts, examine the nature of art of this period. The twentieth century is known for its complexity and diversity—prompting in the viewer laughter, fear, and a shifting sense of the beautiful. The edition explores what can be considered art today, as well as the differences between contemporary and topical, modernist and postmodern forms. The authors analyze artworks to explain the variety and multidimensional nature of twentieth-century culture. The book not only describes well-known phenomena and masterpieces, but also offers an interpretation of new aesthetic practices. It includes significant postmodern changes from the second half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. Additional materials are available as a PDF document on the website after purchasing the audiobook. LLC “AST Publishing House,” 2024.