BOOK:The Body in Contemporary Art, Thames & Hudson Publications

In recent decades, the body has moved from being the subject of traditional portraiture to become an active presence in live and participatory events. Art historical, socio-political and cultural developments, from radical feminism in the ‘70s to contemporary scientific breakthroughs, have all had a profound influence on artists’ attitudes to, and representations of, the human form.

By Efi Michalarou

Sally O’Reilly an academic and art critic has written a very useful book on the body in Contemporary art. “The Body in Contemporary Art” presents an international survey of art made since the early 1990s that has the body as its focus. It examines such areas as nature and technology, the grotesque, identity politics and the place of the individual in society. From painting and sculpture to installation, video art and performance, the book reveals the myriad ways in which the body has inspired a generation of artists. Featuring the work of both renowned and up-and-coming figures, including Francis Alÿs, Marlene Dumas, Matthew Barney, Oleg Kulik, Rineke Dijkstra and Ernesto Neto, this book shows how the body continues to be pivotal to our understanding and expression of our place in the universe.