Glenn Adamson Livres

Surfaces are often held to be of lesser consequence than ‘deeper’ or more ‘substantive’ aspects of artworks and objects. Yet it is also possible to conceive of the surface in more positive as a site where complex forces meet. Surfaces can be theorized as membranes, protective shells, sensitive skins, even thicknesses in their own right. The surface is not so much a barrier to content as an opportunity for in new objects, the surface is the site of qualities of finish, texture, the site of tactile interaction, the last point of contact between object and maker, and the first point of contact between object and user.Surface tensions includes sixteen essays that explore this theoretically uncharted terrain. The subjects range domestic maintenance; avant-garde fashion; the faking of antiques; postmodern architecture and design; contemporary film costume. Of particular emphasis within the volume are textiles, which are among the most complex and culturally rich materialisations of surface. As a whole, the book provides insights into the whole lifecycle of objects, not just their condition when new.

Glenn Adamson extends his ongoing theoretical discussion of skilled work back in time and across numerous disciplines, searching out the origins of modern craft. Locating its emergence in the period of the industrial revolution, he demonstrates how contemporary practice can be informed through the study of modern craft in its moment of invention.

This book is an introduction to the way that artists working in all media think about craft. Workmanship is key to today's visual arts, when high 'production values' are becoming increasingly commonplace. Yet craft's centrality to contemporary art has received little serious attention from critics and historians. Dispensing with clichéd arguments that craft is art, Adamson persuasively makes a case for defining craft in a more nuanced fashion. The interesting thing about craft, he argues, is that it is perceived to be 'inferior' to art. The book consists of an overview of various aspects of this second-class identity - supplementarity, sensuality, skill, the pastoral, and the amateur. It also provides historical case studies analysing craft's role in a variety of disciplines, including architecture, design, contemporary art, and the crafts themselves -- Contracubierta.

Liza Lou's installations, crafted entirely from beads, explore significant themes such as women's roles, community dynamics, and the appreciation of labor. This comprehensive book delves into her acclaimed work, highlighting the intricate details and cultural implications of her art, showcasing how it challenges perceptions and celebrates craftsmanship.

Der Werkkatalog Tunnel zeigt Arbeiten des Keramikers Johannes Nagel (*1979) aus den Jahren 2018 bis 2023. Die meisten dieser Objekte wurden von dem Künstler als Hohlräume, als negative Formen, mit den Händen in den Sand gegraben und anschließend mit flüssigem Porzellan abgeformt und freigelegt. Der Künstler prägt laut Esther Niebel den Objekten auf diese Weise seine eigene Präsenz ein. Neben den außergewöhnlichen Formen, die so entstehen, nehmen auch die ausdrucksstarken Farben und die Bemalung der Objekte eine zentrale Rolle im Werk Nagels ein. Die durch Grabung und Guss geschaffenen Arbeiten werden, begleitet von Essays, in ganzseitigen Fotografien als Stakkato der Objekte und Ideen präsentiert.