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Open Questions

Thirty Years of Writing about Art
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( 23 ratings, 7 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Open Questions is an illustrated reader presenting a collection of 24 essays by Helen Molesworth, a trailblazing curator and writer known for her dynamic and influential voice in the contemporary art world. Spanning 30 years, the essays are drawn from major art publications and exhibition catalogs, enriched with new reflections and commentary that explore art's power to blend knowledge and emotion, making it essential for understanding and engaging with contemporary art.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This volume is ideal for readers interested in contemporary art, curatorial practice, and critical art writing, as well as students, academics, and professionals seeking a deep, nuanced understanding of art's emotional and intellectual intersections.

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An illustrated reader featuring a collection of essays from trailblazing curator and writer Helen Molesworth – the first book of her collected writings

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Open Questions is an illustrated reader featuring a collection of essays from trailblazing curator and writer Helen Molesworth, marking the first book of her collected writings.

Over the past three decades, Helen Molesworth's singular voice and lively curatorial vision have established her as one of the most dynamic and influential figures in the art world. This generously illustrated reader, the first ever collection of her writings, presents 24 essays from the past 30 years. These have been gathered from exhibition catalogues and art publications such as Artforum, Documents, frieze, and October.

The volume opens with a new essay that outlines Molesworth's belief in art's unique capacity for merging knowledge and feeling. It also includes new critical and reflective commentary on her past writing, an innovative approach that will position Open Questions as an indispensable volume for viewing and thinking about contemporary art for generations to come.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Art in America praises Molesworth as "a rare breed: a curator who can actually write" and calls the book "influential." Vogue describes it as "the fierce culmination of a career forged on [her] own terms." Other sources highlight the collection as "captivating" (The Slowdown) and note its rich personal insight into Molesworth herself (artnet), with Sullivan+Strumpf asserting "Molesworth is at her finest."

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781838666057

Publisher: Phaidon Press Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Phaidon Press Ltd

Illustration: 40 Illustrations

Contributors:

  • Edited by Donna Wingate
  • Edited by Donna Wingate

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 270.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 220.0mm

Weight: 775g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Helen Molesworth is a writer, curator, and podcasterbased in Los Angeles. Her major monographic exhibitions include Ruth Asawa, Moyra Davey, Kerry James Marshall, Catherine Opie, Amy Sillman, and Luc Tuymans. Molesworth, a prolific and award-winning author, is the recipient a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Clark Art Writing Prize, and the Bard Center for Curatorial Studies Award for Curatorial Excellence. Edited by Donna Wingate.

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