Published by Tate Publishing, Professor Arnold introduces a set of themes exploring materials, mind, devotion, power and sex in art that have inspired artists from prehistoric times to the present day.
Professor Arnold explained how the inspiration for her book came after she noted so much art literature was written in "complex and incomprehensible language, which is simply not accessible to many audiences."
"The language used is rather off-putting and alienates people from exploring some of the wonders of the art world," she said. "It's that exact reason that made me want to write an easily understandable, jargon-free short book, simply about art.
"Take a walk through any museum or gallery, and we see how art is grouped together by movement, by geography, by age. But what if we broke down those boundaries that surround the work, and we consider art from a different perspective. That's exactly what this book looks at –what cave paintings can tell us about a Picasso sculpture made from a bicycle seat and handlebars, and what statues of Buddha have in common with Greek sculpture."
This isn't the first time Dana has penned a book on art. She is the internationally bestselling author of Art History: A Very Short Introduction, a must have for any art enthusiast.
A Short Book About Art is currently available through Tate online and all good book shops.
Tate publishes new art book by Middlesex professor
A Short Book About Art, written by the School of Art and Design's Professor of Architectural History Dana Arnold, presents a new way of comparing similarities between art movements, from cave paintings to contemporary multi-media work.
Professor Arnold explained how the inspiration for her book came after she noted so much art literature was written in "complex and incomprehensible language, which is simply not accessible to many audiences."
"The language used is rather off-putting and alienates people from exploring some of the wonders of the art world," she said. "It's that exact reason that made me want to write an easily understandable, jargon-free short book, simply about art.
"Take a walk through any museum or gallery, and we see how art is grouped together by movement, by geography, by age. But what if we broke down those boundaries that surround the work, and we consider art from a different perspective. That's exactly what this book looks at –what cave paintings can tell us about a Picasso sculpture made from a bicycle seat and handlebars, and what statues of Buddha have in common with Greek sculpture."
This isn't the first time Dana has penned a book on art. She is the internationally bestselling author of Art History: A Very Short Introduction, a must have for any art enthusiast.
A Short Book About Art is currently available through Tate online and all good book shops.