Art and Objecthood: Essays and Reviews

Art and Objecthood: Essays and Reviews compiles Michael Fried's influential writings on modernist art from the 1960s and beyond. The collection centers on Fried's pivotal 1967 essay that gives the book its title, in which he examines minimalist sculpture and the concept of "theatricality" in art. Throughout these essays, Fried analyzes major figures in modern art including Morris Louis, Jules Olitski, Kenneth Noland, and Frank Stella. His investigations focus on the relationship between painting and sculpture, the role of the viewer, and the development of abstract art in the mid-20th century. The book documents Fried's position as both an art critic and art historian during a transformative period in American art. His writings engage with phenomenology, the nature of artistic medium, and questions of modernist painting's survival in an era of emerging minimalism and conceptual art. This collection remains a cornerstone text in art criticism and theory, presenting arguments about art's essence and purpose that continue to influence contemporary debates. The essays trace deeper questions about the nature of artistic experience and the relationship between artwork and viewer.

Readers appreciate Fried's detailed analysis of minimalism and his defense of modernist painting and sculpture. Many note the book's influence on art criticism and theory, particularly the titular essay's examination of "theatricality" in art. Readers liked: - Clear articulation of differences between minimalist and modernist approaches - Historical context provided for 1960s art movements - In-depth examination of specific artists like Anthony Caro and Morris Louis Readers disliked: - Dense, academic writing style - Repetitive arguments - Limited visual references/images - Some find his criticism of minimalism too harsh Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (142 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) One reader on Goodreads noted: "His writing can be difficult but rewards close reading." An Amazon reviewer wrote: "While I disagree with many of Fried's conclusions, his arguments are thorough and well-constructed." Several academic reviews cite the collection's importance for understanding the modernism/minimalism debate, though some question Fried's objectivity.

The Originality of the Avant-Garde and Other Modernist Myths by Rosalind Krauss Krauss examines modernist art criticism through structuralist and post-structuralist frameworks, challenging traditional views of artistic originality and medium specificity.

Ways of Seeing by John Berger This text deconstructs Western visual culture and art history through a Marxist lens, focusing on how social conditions shape perception and meaning in art.

Passages in Modern Sculpture by Rosalind Krauss The book traces the development of modern sculpture from Rodin to minimalism, analyzing how spatial and temporal experiences define sculptural meaning.

Art and Culture: Critical Essays by Clement Greenberg These essays present foundational theories of modernist criticism that influenced Fried's work, focusing on medium specificity and formal analysis in modern art.

The Return of the Real by Hal Foster Foster examines the trajectory of neo-avant-garde art through psychoanalytic and social theory, connecting minimalism to contemporary art practices.

🎨 Michael Fried wrote "Art and Objecthood" in 1967 when he was only 28 years old, and it became one of the most influential essays in modern art criticism. 📚 The book challenges Minimalism (which Fried calls "literalist art"), arguing that it creates theatrical experiences rather than genuine artistic moments - a stance that sparked decades of debate in the art world. 🖼️ Fried developed his ideas while working closely with influential art critic Clement Greenberg, though he later diverged from some of Greenberg's core theories about modernism. ⏱️ The concept of "presentness" is central to Fried's argument - he believes true art should provide an immediate, transcendent experience that exists outside of time, unlike the duration-dependent experience of minimalist works. 🎭 The book's title essay sparked such controversy that it influenced not just visual art criticism, but also discussions in theater studies, film theory, and architectural discourse for decades to follow.