Why Your Five Year Old Could Not Have Done That

From the Back Cover A passionate and persuasive polemic against the most common disparaging remark levelled at contemporary art Modern art is not - and never has been - child's play. A five-year-old might succeed in executing a spin painting such as those of Damien Hirst without understanding the ideas that lie behind it or its place in the history of artistic endeavour, but it does not follow that this work would be of significance to artists and historians. In this enjoyable and thought-provoking book, Susie Hodge examines 100 works of modern art that have attracted critical and public hostility - from Cy Twombly's scribbled Olympia (1957), Jean-Michel Basquiat's crude but spontaneous LNAPRK (1982), to the apparently careless mess of Tracey Emin's My Bed (1998) - and shows how, far from being negligible novelties, they are inspired and logical extensions of the ideas of their time. She places each work in its cultural context to present an unforgettable vision of modern art in a book that will transform and inform your gallery visits for years to come. Product Description Why Your 5 Year Old Could Not Have Done That is Susie Hodge's passionate and persuasive argument against the most common disparaging remark levelled at modern art. In this enjoyable and thought-provoking book, she examines 100 works of modern art that have attracted critical and public hostility from Cy Twombly's scribbled Olympia (1957), Jean-Michel Basquiat's crude but spontaneous LNAPRK (1982), to the apparently careless mess of Tracey Emin's My Bed (1998) and explains how, far from being negligible novelties, they are inspired and logical extensions of the ideas of their time. She explains how such notorious works as Carl Andre's Equivalent VIII (1966) the infamous bricks occupy unique niches in the history of ideas, both showing influences of past artists and themselves influencing subsequent artists. With illustrations of works from Hans Arp to Adolf W�lfli, Susie Hodge places each work in its cultural context to present an unforgettable vision of modern art. This book will give you an understanding of the ways in which modern art differs from the realistic works of earlier centuries, transforming as well as informing your gallery visits for years to come. Review 'Informative and well written' - Artists and Illustrators 'Passionate and persuasive' - The Artist 'In its admirable lack of pretentious description, it is equally good reading for those seeking to understand how it is that in the world of modern art, the provocative can conquer the aesthetic' - Daily Telegraph Book Description An enjoyable and thought-provoking book in which Susie Hodge explains why modern art is not, and never has been, child’s play About the Author Susie Hodge is an art historian, author, artist and journalist with more than 100 books to her name. She has an MA in the History of Art from Birkbeck, University of London, and is a Fellow of the RSA. She has twice been named the No. 1 art writer by the Independent.