Art is like cheese or wine; to understand it, you need to 'fill up' on it. If you have only ever drunk sweet wines from Crimea and eaten Poshekhonsky cheese throughout your life, and then your friends bring you fragrant cheese with mold and a bottle of Spanish Tempranillo, you will most likely start spitting it out, saying: 'What a disgusting delicacy you have!' The same goes for art – as soon as you start studying or listening to classical art, you will increasingly be attracted to something avant-garde or modern. The book 'Art for the Guys. On the Shelves' is a great introduction to the history of art, both foreign and domestic, not limited to just one genre. It collects everything that is called art: sculpture and architecture, painting and music. You will 'taste' selected works from prehistoric times to the 20th century and whet your appetite for new volumes. The book is written based on the popular podcast of the same name, but it is not just a transcription of already released episodes – besides the text written in simple language, you will find QR codes for films, series, music, additional materials, and illustrations that will help you stay in the loop, as well as a huge number of interesting facts that can be used in quizzes, intellectual conversations, or discussions about art with colleagues, friends, and even children. Each chapter is a small art investigation that allows you to read enthusiastically about a work or an author, as if you were reading a detective story. Nastya Chetyrikova is a cultural scientist, music expert, journalist, lecturer at 'Prjamo Rechi', educator at MGPU, author and host of the podcasts 'Art for the Guys' and 'Dark Matter'. Nastya always answers questions about art and music on her networks @nastya4CHE, her lectures and webinars attract adults and children with vibrant material presentation and simple language. Moreover, after getting acquainted with her lectures, all knowledge falls into place, as her teaching techniques work well not only for children but also for students and adults interested in self-development.
