The Casual - by Jacob Stewart-Halevy (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Considers the enduring legacy of California Conceptualism, known for its lax approaches to creating, writing about, and exhibiting art. Moving away from making objects, and turning instead to staging scenes, the artists associated with California Conceptualism-including Eleanor Antin, John Baldessari, David Lamelas, Tony Ramos, Ilene Segalove, and William Wegman-behaved indifferently toward their art, denied making it and knowing what it was about, and displayed a lack of concern for its future. Their casual attitude and aesthetic transformed relationships between artists, critics, and viewers, separating those who could recognize these practices from those who could not. Contemporary artists have continued this trajectory, finding new ways to act casually through their "stance." In the humanities, this term is often taken to mean the beliefs, values, and intentions of authors, and it has offered a useful way to think about how artists position themselves toward their work and audiences. Jacob Stewart-Halevy builds on recent social theory to show how artists, critics, and other members of the art world wield stance to make sense of artworks and their social circumstances, arguing that, through the rise of conceptual art, stance has come to supplement-and in some cases replace-the aesthetic quality of artworks"--

Book Synopsis

Considers the enduring legacy of California Conceptualism, known for its lax approaches to creating, writing about, and exhibiting art.

Moving away from making objects, and turning instead to staging scenes, the artists associated with California Conceptualism--including Eleanor Antin, John Baldessari, David Lamelas, Tony Ramos, Ilene Segalove, and William Wegman--behaved indifferently toward their art, denied making it and knowing what it was about, and displayed a lack of concern for its future. Their casual attitude and aesthetic transformed relationships between artists, critics, and viewers, separating those who could recognize these practices from those who could not.

Contemporary artists have continued this trajectory, finding new ways to act casually through their "stance." In the humanities, this term is often taken to mean the beliefs, values, and intentions of authors, and it has offered a useful way to think about how artists position themselves toward their work and audiences. Jacob Stewart-Halevy builds on recent social theory to show how artists, critics, and other members of the art world wield stance to make sense of artworks and their social circumstances, arguing that, through the rise of conceptual art, stance has come to supplement--and in some cases replace--the aesthetic quality of artworks.

Review Quotes

"Stewart-Halevy has produced a much-needed consideration of conceptual art in California by recognizing in it a unifying and distinguishing quality: casualness. He parses this approach to art by turning to stance theory, along with semiotic methods developed for the study of literature and communication. This enables him to interpret everything from the works these artists made to aspects of their personal and professional lives. With this highly original and well-considered book, Stewart-Halevy does a distinct kind of justice to the art he discusses."--Robert Bailey, University of Oklahoma

"Stewart-Halevy rewrites the history of conceptual art through the prism of a group of California artists and their casual approach to their own art, examining how this offhandedness reflected broader shifts in work, leisure, and lifestyle. The Casual represents an extraordinary achievement in the historical sociology of art and the artworld."--Jason Smith, ArtCenter

"The Casual is a must-read for every sociolinguist. Stewart-Halevy is a master interdisciplinary scholar. He will make you go 'uh-huh' on every page."--Adam Jaworski, Emeritus Professor, University of Hong Kong

About the Author

Jacob Stewart-Halevy is associate professor of art history at Tufts University. He is the author of Slant Steps: On the Art World's Semi-Periphery.