Wild Art

Carrier (A World Art History and Its Objects) and Pissarro (Individualism and Inter-Subjectivity in Modernism), both of whom straddle academia and the professional art world, define "wild art" as "art that does not fit into the narrow confines of the established art world." In this adventurous volume, they propose that we should "open our minds to the idea that there are multiple art worlds, each with their own system of values, and that it is perfectly possible to appreciate art from more than one world." Their diverse examples include: Chinese political calligraphy written with water on pavement; flesh-hook art; a cream-puff dress; animals as both creators and art objects; and a basket-shaped office building, complete with handles. Further highlights include Andres Amador and Jim Denevan's huge, ephemeral beach drawings, and spectacles from carnivals, Burning Man, and flash mobs. Outsider-art fans will love the book's unexpected juxtapositions and raw, energetic imagery. Pop culture scholars will appreciate the open-armed variety and inclusion of commercial "art" like the Disneyland castle. 350 color illus. (Oct.)