Reviews
Just when it seemed that contemporary art writing and the subject of real-life politics had permanently parted ways, along comes the young New York critic Ben Davis with a book that brings them together. No cheerleading here, no swoony prosody, no easy kiss-offs; just smart, ardent, illusion-puncturing observation and analysis on the intersection of art, commerce, andthe elephant in the art-fair VIP loungeclass. None of this would matter much if he didn t tell us why we should care, but he does. Under all his excoriations lies a faith in art as an agent of transformation toward a post-neoliberal, post-greed society that could be, should be. Holland Cotter, art critic, New York Times Like watching an expert pole-vaulter ply his craft, witnessing this critic reach for first principles in this day and age constitutes its own reward... On 9.5 Theses, the verdict is crystal: This is one helluva pamphlet. Christian Viveros-Faune, The Village Voice .. .a riveting manifesto... New York Magazine By reminding artists where they really stand, Davis hopes, in the end, to put them on firmer footing, both politically and creatively. Dushko Petrovich, BOOKFORUM Davis is an intellectually clearheaded critic dishing out some tough truths, often backed up with statistics, to the rarefied 'art world.' . . . The book reframes the production and sale of art in tough terms, which is why the collection s centerpiece, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class, should be required reading for art professionals. In this first book, Davis proves himself a critic to be reckoned with. Publishers Weekly Written beautifully and for all of us... this book has a high purpose that many attempt and few fulfill. It is a compelling and convincing reminder of why art matters and what's ultimately at stake. Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 9.5 Theses on Art and Class is the first book I ve read by an art critic that spoke to the world I lived and worked in as an artist. Incisive, irreverent, and intellectually fearless. A truth-bomb of a book. Molly Crabapple, artist Bracing, provocative, exasperated, and good-humored, Davis is skillfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theor and the world. China Mieville, author, The City & The City Davis is deeply attuned to contemporary art and the contradictory ways it is expressed and contained within culture more broadly. More than a book of political essays, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class offers a fresh theory that is useful to anyone wrestling with the challenges of what art is or can do. Lauren Cornell, curator, New Museum Just when it seemed that contemporary art writing and the subject of real-life politics had permanently parted ways, along comes the young New York critic Ben Davis with a book that brings them together. No cheerleading here, no swoony prosody, no easy kiss-offs; just smart, ardent, illusion-puncturing observation and analysis on the intersection of art, commerce, and--the elephant in the art-fair VIP lounge--class. None of this would matter much if he didn't tell us why we should care, but he does. Under all his excoriations lies a faith in art as an agent of transformation toward a post-neoliberal, post-greed society that could be, should be. --Holland Cotter, art critic, New York Times Like watching an expert pole-vaulter ply his craft, witnessing this critic reach for first principles in this day and age constitutes its own reward... On 9.5 Theses, the verdict is crystal: This is one helluva pamphlet. --Christian Viveros-Faune, The Village Voice .. .a riveting manifesto... --New York Magazine By reminding artists where they really stand, Davis hopes, in the end, to put them on firmer footing, both politically and creatively. --Dushko Petrovich, BOOKFORUM Davis is an intellectually clearheaded critic dishing out some tough truths, often backed up with statistics, to the rarefied 'art world.' . . . The book reframes the production and sale of art in tough terms, which is why the collection's centerpiece, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class, should be required reading for art professionals. In this first book, Davis proves himself a critic to be reckoned with. -- Publishers Weekly Written beautifully and for all of us... this book has a high purpose that many attempt and few fulfill. It is a compelling and convincing reminder of why art matters and what's ultimately at stake. --Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 9.5 Theses on Art and Class is the first book I've read by an art critic that spoke to the world I lived and worked in as an artist. Incisive, irreverent, and intellectually fearless. A truth-bomb of a book. --Molly Crabapple, artist Bracing, provocative, exasperated, and good-humored, Davis is skillfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theor --and the world. --China Mieville, author, The City & The City Davis is deeply attuned to contemporary art and the contradictory ways it is expressed and contained within culture more broadly. More than a book of political essays, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class offers a fresh theory that is useful to anyone wrestling with the challenges of what art is or can do. --Lauren Cornell, curator, New Museum Bracing, provocative, exasperated and good humored, Davis is skilfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theory - and the world. --China Mieville Among excellent younger critics now is Ben Davis. --Peter Schjeldahl (art critic for the New Yorker), Frieze Magazine Ben Davis's On the Age of Semi-Post-Postmodernism engaged directly with the complexity of the present moment, refusing a flight into this or that idea of the contemporary while his 9.5 Theses on Art and Class gave an apparently un-publishable voice to an unarticulated, if widely held sentiment about the economic reality of the art market. --Stephen Squibb, on the Best Art Writing of 2010, Artlog Postmodernism, my fellow art scribe Ben Davis wrote in paraphrase of the cultural critic Fredric Jameson, is the cultural logic of neoliberalism. No truer sentence has been penned in the past decade; no more radical idea has been elevated from beneath the collective proboscis. --Christian Viveros-Faune, Village Voice
Just when it seemed that contemporary art writing and the subject of real-life politics had permanently parted ways, along comes the young New York critic Ben Davis with a book that brings them together. No cheerleading here, no swoony prosody, no easy kiss-offs; just smart, ardent, illusion-puncturing observation and analysis on the intersection of art, commerce, andthe elephant in the art-fair VIP loungeclass. None of this would matter much if he didn t tell us why we should care, but he does. Under all his excoriations lies a faith in art as an agent of transformation toward a post-neoliberal, post-greed society that could be, should be. Holland Cotter, art critic, New York Times Like watching an expert pole-vaulter ply his craft, witnessing this critic reach for first principles in this day and age constitutes its own reward... On 9.5 Theses, the verdict is crystal: This is one helluva pamphlet. Christian Viveros-Faune, The Village Voice .. .a riveting manifesto... New York Magazine By reminding artists where they really stand, Davis hopes, in the end, to put them on firmer footing, both politically and creatively. Dushko Petrovich, BOOKFORUM Davis is an intellectually clearheaded critic dishing out some tough truths, often backed up with statistics, to the rarefied 'art world.' . . . The book reframes the production and sale of art in tough terms, which is why the collection s centerpiece, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class, should be required reading for art professionals. In this first book, Davis proves himself a critic to be reckoned with. Publishers Weekly Written beautifully and for all of us... this book has a high purpose that many attempt and few fulfill. It is a compelling and convincing reminder of why art matters and what's ultimately at stake. Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 9.5 Theses on Art and Class is the first book I ve read by an art critic that spoke to the world I lived and worked in as an artist. Incisive, irreverent, and intellectually fearless. A truth-bomb of a book. Molly Crabapple, artist Bracing, provocative, exasperated, and good-humored, Davis is skillfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theor and the world. China Mieville, author, The City & The City Davis is deeply attuned to contemporary art and the contradictory ways it is expressed and contained within culture more broadly. More than a book of political essays, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class offers a fresh theory that is useful to anyone wrestling with the challenges of what art is or can do. Lauren Cornell, curator, New Museum Just when it seemed that contemporary art writing and the subject of real-life politics had permanently parted ways, along comes the young New York critic Ben Davis with a book that brings them together. No cheerleading here, no swoony prosody, no easy kiss-offs; just smart, ardent, illusion-puncturing observation and analysis on the intersection of art, commerce, and--the elephant in the art-fair VIP lounge--class. None of this would matter much if he didn't tell us why we should care, but he does. Under all his excoriations lies a faith in art as an agent of transformation toward a post-neoliberal, post-greed society that could be, should be. --Holland Cotter, art critic, New York Times Like watching an expert pole-vaulter ply his craft, witnessing this critic reach for first principles in this day and age constitutes its own reward... On 9.5 Theses, the verdict is crystal: This is one helluva pamphlet. --Christian Viveros-Faune, The Village Voice .. .a riveting manifesto... --New York Magazine By reminding artists where they really stand, Davis hopes, in the end, to put them on firmer footing, both politically and creatively. --Dushko Petrovich, BOOKFORUM Davis is an intellectually clearheaded critic dishing out some tough truths, often backed up with statistics, to the rarefied 'art world.' . . . The book reframes the production and sale of art in tough terms, which is why the collection's centerpiece, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class, should be required reading for art professionals. In this first book, Davis proves himself a critic to be reckoned with. -- Publishers Weekly Written beautifully and for all of us... this book has a high purpose that many attempt and few fulfill. It is a compelling and convincing reminder of why art matters and what's ultimately at stake. --Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 9.5 Theses on Art and Class is the first book I've read by an art critic that spoke to the world I lived and worked in as an artist. Incisive, irreverent, and intellectually fearless. A truth-bomb of a book. --Molly Crabapple, artist Bracing, provocative, exasperated, and good-humored, Davis is skillfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theor --and the world. --China Mieville, author, The City & The City Davis is deeply attuned to contemporary art and the contradictory ways it is expressed and contained within culture more broadly. More than a book of political essays, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class offers a fresh theory that is useful to anyone wrestling with the challenges of what art is or can do. --Lauren Cornell, curator, New Museum Bracing, provocative, exasperated and good humored, Davis is skilfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theory - and the world. --China Mieville Among excellent younger critics now is Ben Davis. --Peter Schjeldahl (art critic for the New Yorker), Frieze Magazine Ben Davis's On the Age of Semi-Post-Postmodernism engaged directly with the complexity of the present moment, refusing a flight into this or that idea of the contemporary while his 9.5 Theses on Art and Class gave an apparently un-publishable voice to an unarticulated, if widely held sentiment about the economic reality of the art market. --Stephen Squibb, on the Best Art Writing of 2010, Artlog Postmodernism, my fellow art scribe Ben Davis wrote in paraphrase of the cultural critic Fredric Jameson, is the cultural logic of neoliberalism. No truer sentence has been penned in the past decade; no more radical idea has been elevated from beneath the collective proboscis. --Christian Viveros-Faune, Village Voice
"Just when it seemed that contemporary art writing and the subject of real-life politics had permanently parted ways, along comes the young New York critic Ben Davis with a book that brings them together. No cheerleading here, no swoony prosody, no easy kiss-offs; just smart, ardent, illusion-puncturing observation and analysis on the intersection of art, commerce, andthe elephant in the art-fair VIP loungeclass. None of this would matter much if he didn t tell us why we should care, but he does. Under all his excoriations lies a faith in art as an agent of transformation toward a post-neoliberal, post-greed society that could be, should be. Holland Cotter, art critic, New York Times ""Like watching an expert pole-vaulter ply his craft, witnessing this critic reach for first principles in this day and age constitutes its own reward... On 9.5 Theses, the verdict is crystal: This is one helluva pamphlet."" Christian Viveros-Faune, The Village Voice .."".a riveting manifesto..."" New York Magazine ""By reminding artists where they really stand, Davis hopes, in the end, to put them on firmer footing, both politically and creatively."" Dushko Petrovich, BOOKFORUM ""Davis is an intellectually clearheaded critic dishing out some tough truths, often backed up with statistics, to the rarefied 'art world.' . . . The book reframes the production and sale of art in tough terms, which is why the collection s centerpiece, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class, should be required reading for art professionals. In this first book, Davis proves himself a critic to be reckoned with."" Publishers Weekly ""Written beautifully and for all of us... this book has a high purpose that many attempt and few fulfill. It is a compelling and convincing reminder of why art matters and what's ultimately at stake."" Mary Louise Schumacher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 9.5 Theses on Art and Class is the first book I ve read by an art critic that spoke to the world I lived and worked in as an artist. Incisive, irreverent, and intellectually fearless. A truth-bomb of a book. Molly Crabapple, artist Bracing, provocative, exasperated, and good-humored, Davis is skillfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theor and the world. China Mieville, author, The City & The City Davis is deeply attuned to contemporary art and the contradictory ways it is expressed and contained within culture more broadly. More than a book of political essays, 9.5 Theses on Art and Class offers a fresh theory that is useful to anyone wrestling with the challenges of what art is or can do. Lauren Cornell, curator, New Museum "" ""Just when it seemed that contemporary art writing and the subject of real-life politics had permanently parted ways, along comes the young New York critic Ben Davis with a book that brings them together. No cheerleading here, no swoony prosody, no easy kiss-offs; just smart, ardent, illusion-puncturing observation and analysis on the intersection of art, commerce, and--the elephant in the art-fair VIP lounge--class. None of this would matter much if he didn't tell us why we should care, but he does. Under all his excoriations lies a faith in art as an agent of transformation toward a post-neoliberal, post-greed society that could be, should be."" --Holland Cotter, art critic, ""New York Times"" ""Like watching an expert pole-vaulter ply his craft, witnessing this critic reach for first principles in this day and age constitutes its own reward... On 9.5 Theses, the verdict is crystal: This is one helluva pamphlet."" --Christian Viveros-Faune, ""The Village Voice"" .."".a riveting manifesto..."" ""--New York Magazine"" ""By reminding artists where they really stand, Davis hopes, in the end, to put them on firmer footing, both politically and creatively."" --Dushko Petrovich, ""BOOKFORUM"" ""Davis is an intellectually clearheaded critic dishing out some tough truths, often backed up with statistics, to the rarefied 'art world.' . . . The book reframes the production and sale of art in tough terms, which is why the collection's centerpiece, ""9.5 Theses on Art and Class,"" should be required reading for art professionals. In this first book, Davis proves himself a critic to be reckoned with."" --""Publishers Weekly"" ""Written beautifully and for all of us... this book has a high purpose that many attempt and few fulfill. It is a compelling and convincing reminder of why art matters and what's ultimately at stake."" --Mary Louise Schumacher, ""Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"" """"9.5 Theses on Art and Class"" is the first book I've read by an art critic that spoke to the world I lived and worked in as an artist. Incisive, irreverent, and intellectually fearless. A truth-bomb of a book."" --Molly Crabapple, artist ""Bracing, provocative, exasperated, and good-humored, Davis is skillfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theor --and the world."" --China Mieville, author, ""The City & The City"" ""Davis is deeply attuned to contemporary art and the contradictory ways it is expressed and contained within culture more broadly. More than a book of political essays, ""9.5 Theses on Art and Class"" offers a fresh theory that is useful to anyone wrestling with the challenges of what art is or can do."" --Lauren Cornell, curator, New Museum ""Bracing, provocative, exasperated and good humored, Davis is skilfully committed to getting the best out of art and art theory - and the world.""--China Mieville ""Among excellent younger critics now is Ben Davis.""--Peter Schjeldahl (art critic for the New Yorker), ""Frieze Magazine"" ""Ben Davis's ""On the Age of Semi-Post-Postmodernism"" engaged directly with the complexity of the present moment, refusing a flight into this or that idea of ""the contemporary"" while his ""9.5 Theses on Art and Class"" gave an apparently un-publishable voice to an unarticulated, if widely held sentiment about the economic reality of the art market.""--Stephen Squibb, on the Best Art Writing of 2010, ""Artlog"" """"Postmodernism,"" my fellow art scribe Ben Davis wrote in paraphrase of the cultural critic Fredric Jameson, ""is the cultural logic of neoliberalism."" No truer sentence has been penned in the past decade; no more radical idea has been elevated from beneath the collective proboscis.""--Christian Viveros-Faune, ""Village Voice"""
