The Photograph as Contemporary Art

Charlotte Cotton

A new edition of the definitive title in the field of contemporary art photography by one of the world’s leading experts on the subject, Charlotte Cotton.

In the twenty-first century, photography has come of age as a contemporary art form. Almost two centuries after photographic technology was  first invented, the art world has fully embraced it as a legitimate medium, equal in status to painting and sculpture. The Photograph as Contemporary Art introduces the extraordinary range of contemporary art photography, from portraits of intimate life to highly staged directorial spectacles.

Arranged thematically, the book reproduces work from a vast span of photographers, including Andreas Gursky, Barbara Kasten, Catherine Opie, Cindy Sherman, Deana Lawson, Diana Markosian, Elle Pérez, Gregory Halpern, Lieko Shiga,  Nan Goldin, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Pixy Liao, Susan Meiselas, and Zanele Muholi. This fully revised and updated new edition revitalizes previous discussion of works from the 2000s through dialogue with more recent practice. Alongside previously featured work, Charlotte Cotton celebrates a new generation of artists who are shaping photography as a culturally significant medium for our current sociopolitical climate. A superb resource, The Photograph as Contemporary Art is a uniquely broad and diverse reflection of the field.

Reviews

Essential reading for anyone who wishes to make sense of contemporary art photography.

— Picture Professional

Contributors

Charlotte Cotton

Author

Charlotte Cotton is a writer and curator of photography. She has held senior posts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and The Photographers’ Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, among others. She has held scholarly posts at Yale University, The New School for Design, and California College of Art. Previous books include Fashion Image Revolution; Public, Private, Secret: On Photography and the Configuration of Self; and Photography Is Magic.