A French-language edition of Monika Wagner's comprehensive study of the use and significance of materials in twentieth-century art.
Utilizing exemplary works, Monika Wagner considers traditional materials, as well as materials that have been newly developed or are originally foreign to art, placing them beyond the personal mythologies of individual artists and in the context of their ordinary uses and attributes. This critical reconstruction of their meaning opens up a new avenue for understanding modern art. The materials discussed and studied are at the heart of twentieth-century art, from color in painting to everyday and natural objects, and even the most intangible materials such as air and light. The examples chosen by Wagner reveal what these materials tell us in the conjunction of their uses throughout history and their assignments to society or gender. Numerous illustrations complement and illuminate the analyses of the works studied.
Utilizing exemplary works, Monika Wagner considers traditional materials, as well as materials that have been newly developed or are originally foreign to art, placing them beyond the personal mythologies of individual artists and in the context of their ordinary uses and attributes. This critical reconstruction of their meaning opens up a new avenue for understanding modern art. The materials discussed and studied are at the heart of twentieth-century art, from color in painting to everyday and natural objects, and even the most intangible materials such as air and light. The examples chosen by Wagner reveal what these materials tell us in the conjunction of their uses throughout history and their assignments to society or gender. Numerous illustrations complement and illuminate the analyses of the works studied.
