Master Narratives and their Discontents (Theories of Modernism and Postmodernism in the Visual Arts)

In this bracing engagement with the many versions of art history, James Elkins argues that the story of modernism and postmodernism is almost always told in terms of four narratives. Works of art are either seen as modern or postmodern, or praised for their technical skill or because of the politics they appear to embody. These are master narratives of contemporary criticism, and each leads to a different understanding of what art is and does. Both a cogent overview of the state of thinking about art and a challenge to think outside the art historical box, Master Narratives and their Discontents is the first volume in a series of short books on the theories of modernism by leading art historians on twentieth-century art and art criticism. "In this bracing engagement with the many versions of art history, James Elkins argues that the story of modernism and postmodernism is almost always told in terms of four narratives. Works of art are either see as modern, or postmodern, or praised for their technical skill, or because of the politics they appear to embody. These are master narratives of contemporary criticism, and each leads to a different understanding of what art is and does. Both a cogent overview of the state of thinking about art and a challenge to think outside the art historical box, [the book] is the first volume in a new sereis of short books by leading art historians on theories of modernism and postmodernism." - back cover Highly-revered art historian, James Elkins, argues that the story of modernism and postmodernism is almost always told in terms of four narratives, with each narrative leading to a different understanding of what art is and does.