Reviews
Thornton nails some wonderful portraits of the people that, well, do wonderful portraits. These characters are no longer creators of icons but icons themselves and Thornton is in the front pew--but taking notes, not praying at all., How can one be a real artist in the real world? Thornton sets off to find out, meeting and debating with many of the most important artists around the globe. Credibility, integrity, legitimacy, recognition and truth in art are all tackled here. While the basis of the book is contemporary art, the themes are of universal interest., A masterful picture of 33 artists, keenly bringing details of their lives to the surface with a skilled hand...With effortless sophistication, Thornton takes readers on a journey across the globe and into the homes and minds of contemporary artists. In the process, she banishes cynicism about modern art, revealing it to be a volatile, healthy enterprise still deeply engaged with the world., A masterful picture of 33 artists, keenly bringing details of their lives to the surface with a skilled hand ... With effortless sophistication, Thornton takes readers on a journey across the globe and into the homes and minds of contemporary artists. In the process, she banishes cynicism about modern art, revealing it to be a volatile, healthy enterprise still deeply engaged with the world., [Thornton's] interviews, interwoven to show conjunctions and contrasts, cohere into a strong three-part whole--first politics, then kinship, and finally, a readable interrogation of what's so often overlooked: craft., [A]n invaluable, incisive, and exciting guide to today's deliriously diverse, sophisticated, scandalous, and profound art world., Writing with verve, insight and authenticity...Thornton's method is to let her hubristic subjects hang themselves by their own nooses. She is skillfully nuanced on the artist Christian Marclay., A vivid and entertaining read...Thornton meets some interesting artists and her direction can be playful. Her interviews with Andrea Fraser stand out, as do all her meetings with Ai Weiwei.