New to art

[Queen Mab]

I'm a complete art noob whose mind goes blank looking at a Rothko and who can't even colour inside the lines well, but recently I've become fascinated by art. Viewing the work of and reading about the futurists, expressionists, constructivists and other modernist movements is sort of mind-blowing. I guess this springs from my politics, but looking at how these movements were influenced by the rapid changes of industrial society is absolutely engrossing. It's almost as if I'm starting to finally get art!

Does anyone have any suggested texts to read about art's relation to politics? How to view art in general? The histories of art movements that were involved in building or describing new social relations? This is stuff I really find interesting.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

This? (http://www.stewarthomesociety.org/sp/assault.htm)

[bcbm]

not reading, and obviously not from a revolutionary perspective, but i think simon schama's tv series 'the power of art' is a good series about art and does well explaining the world around the artists, the impact of their work, why it is important, etc.

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