The Status and Stakes of Contemporary Art History Publishing Today


This panel, convened by the Society of Contemporary Art Historians, gathers prominent figures from diverse corners of contemporary art publishing for an informal discussion about the state of the field, particularly as it bridges academia and the larger art world. Among the questions to be considered are: What are the current pressures shaping the direction of academic publishing on contemporary art history topics? How are art historians and artists both inside and outside the academy to navigate today’s diverse platforms of arts publishing? To what extent are criticism and the exhibition catalogue essay now accepted as forms of scholarly output? What are the forces that pressure writers to focus on particular artists at given moments? To what extent is Fair Use being utilized in regard to image reproductions and permissions? Is the desire for critical historical writing on contemporary art dead, and if not, where is it most vividly alive? How might contemporary arts writers better leverage their expertise to reclaim the critical powers of their voice?

Field of Study:






Chair:
Natilee Harren,University of Houston - noharren@central.uh.edu

Panel participant 1
Susan M Bielstein, University of Chicago Press
Panel participant 2
Dushko Petrovich, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Panel participant 3
Rebecca K. Uchill, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
Panel participant 4
Anuradha Vikram, UCLA Department of Art
Panel participant 5
Lucas Zwirner, David Zwirner Books