Art Versus Beauty

A refreshing approach to modern and contemporary art

We live in an age when the supply of art is greater than at any moment in history. People come into unprecedented daily contact with contemporary art. Meanwhile, art is increasingly being traded online and new museums and foundations open every year. Yet contemporary art can still be confusing and the public often uncritically accepts whatever is served up to it. Adrian David, author of this book, believes that this is because we approach art with obsolete ideas. He argues that notions like 'beauty' and 'imagination' are outdated and put us on the wrong track when we come face to face with the work of El Greco, Goya, Manet, Schiele, Bacon or Banksy.

David uses numerous examples to reflect on art and, by extension, on what it is to be human. The result is an accessible, trenchant and richly illustrated book, written by a passionate connoisseur and sincere art lover.