The Art of Installation

In the art of recent decades, installation has gained significance as a leading artistic form. However, as Claire Bishop notes, «the broadest spectrum of differences in the appearance, content, and scale of works created today under this name, as well as the freedom in using this term, render it almost devoid of any specific meaning». The task of this book is to organize this seemingly vast and heterogeneous material. Relying on the analysis of specific works, the author shows that, since the perception of such art requires the physical presence of the audience within the work, it can be classified by the type of experience it offers the viewer. Bishop traces the roots of installation to the artistic avant-garde of the 1920s, pays close attention to the neo-avant-garde of the 1960s and 1970s, and examines the artistic practice of the late 20th - early 21st century, clarifying the conceptual foundations of installation art.