An up-to-date, on-the-ground
account of today’s art-censorship debates
Censored Art Today is an accessible, informed analysis of the debates raging around censorship of art and
so-called ‘cancel culture’, focusing on who the censors are and why they are
clamping down on forms of artistic expression worldwide. Art censorship is a
centuries-old issue which appears to be on the rise in the 21st century - why is this the case?
Gareth Harris expertly analyses the different contexts in which artists, museums and curators face restrictions today, investigating political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; the suppression of LGBTQ+ artist... Read More
An up-to-date, on-the-ground
account of today’s art-censorship debates
Censored Art Today is an accessible, informed analysis of the debates raging around censorship of art and
so-called ‘cancel culture’, focusing on who the censors are and why they are
clamping down on forms of artistic expression worldwide. Art censorship is a
centuries-old issue which appears to be on the rise in the 21st century - why is this the case?
Gareth Harris expertly analyses the different contexts in which artists, museums and curators face restrictions today, investigating political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; the suppression of LGBTQ+ artist... Read More
Censored Art Today is an accessible, informed analysis of the debates raging around censorship of art and
so-called ‘cancel culture’, focusing on who the censors are and why they are
clamping down on forms of artistic expression worldwide. Art censorship is a
centuries-old issue which appears to be on the rise in the 21st century - why is this the case?
Gareth Harris expertly analyses the different contexts in which artists, museums and curators face restrictions today, investigating political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; the suppression of LGBTQ+ artists in 'illiberal democracies'; the algorithms policing art online; Western museums and 'cancel culture'; and the narratives around 'problematic' monuments. His fascinating study, which draws on extensive research and interviews, reveals why censorship has become the hottest of
topics, impacting substantially on artists.
Details
Pages: 104
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd
Co-Publisher: Sotheby's Institute of Art
Series: Hot Topics in the Art World
Publication Date: 5th September 2022
Trim Size: 13 x 20 cm
ISBN: 9781848225411
Reviews
Selected as one of FAD Magazine's Top Art Books to Read in 2023:
'I'm a fan of this series of books that takes important art topics and covers them in digestible reads. Gareth Harris looks at art in repressive regimes, the contentious issues of removing statues, and how social media controls the art we see.' – Tabish Khan, FAD Magazine
'Where the book really excels is in exploring the novel situation in the West, where the most prominent instances of censorship now stem from progressive concerns for social justice and inclusivity. Harris' analysis is insightful and equitable [...]. And his final chapter, on the polarising question of historically problematic statues, is one of the most cogent and elegant short accounts of the subject you're likely to read.' - Gabriel Coxhead, Art Quarterly
Selected as one of Wallpaper* magazine's Best Contemporary Art Books of 2022:
'From political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East to the suppression of LGBTQ+ artists, cancel culture and the algorithms policing art online, Harris’ superbly-researched book poses critical questions about the trajectory of free speech, free expression and ultimately, who gets to decide.' - Harriet Lloyd-Smith, Wallpaper*
‘Censored Art Today is a critical analysis of culture, censorship, politics, algorithms and social media showing that the art world is not what you suspected. It’s worse.’ - Artist Andres Serrano
Author Bio
Gareth Harris is Chief Contributing Editor of The Art Newspaper, and was previously Deputy Editor (2005-09). He has written numerous articles for the Financial Times on the visual arts and the art market, and has also written for The New York Times, The Times, Apollo Magazine and Frieze. His doctoral thesis from the University of London focuses on the artist Umberto Boccioni and the poet Blaise Cendrars.
Table of Contents
Foreword; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Political Censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; 2. The Suppression of LGBTQ+ Artists in 'Illiberal Democracies'; 3. The Algorithms Policing Art Online; 4. Western Museums and 'Cancel Culture'; 5. Censoring the Past? The Narratives around 'Problematic' Monuments; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index
Censored Art Today is an accessible, informed analysis of the debates raging around censorship of art and
so-called ‘cancel culture’, focusing on who the censors are and why they are
clamping down on forms of artistic expression worldwide. Art censorship is a
centuries-old issue which appears to be on the rise in the 21st century - why is this the case?
Gareth Harris expertly analyses the different contexts in which artists, museums and curators face restrictions today, investigating political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; the suppression of LGBTQ+ artists in 'illiberal democracies'; the algorithms policing art online; Western museums and 'cancel culture'; and the narratives around 'problematic' monuments. His fascinating study, which draws on extensive research and interviews, reveals why censorship has become the hottest of
topics, impacting substantially on artists.
Pages: 104
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd
Co-Publisher: Sotheby's Institute of Art
Series: Hot Topics in the Art World
Publication Date: 5th September 2022
Trim Size: 13 x 20 cm
ISBN: 9781848225411
Selected as one of FAD Magazine's Top Art Books to Read in 2023:
'I'm a fan of this series of books that takes important art topics and covers them in digestible reads. Gareth Harris looks at art in repressive regimes, the contentious issues of removing statues, and how social media controls the art we see.' – Tabish Khan, FAD Magazine
'Where the book really excels is in exploring the novel situation in the West, where the most prominent instances of censorship now stem from progressive concerns for social justice and inclusivity. Harris' analysis is insightful and equitable [...]. And his final chapter, on the polarising question of historically problematic statues, is one of the most cogent and elegant short accounts of the subject you're likely to read.' - Gabriel Coxhead, Art Quarterly
Selected as one of Wallpaper* magazine's Best Contemporary Art Books of 2022:
'From political censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East to the suppression of LGBTQ+ artists, cancel culture and the algorithms policing art online, Harris’ superbly-researched book poses critical questions about the trajectory of free speech, free expression and ultimately, who gets to decide.' - Harriet Lloyd-Smith, Wallpaper*
‘Censored Art Today is a critical analysis of culture, censorship, politics, algorithms and social media showing that the art world is not what you suspected. It’s worse.’ - Artist Andres Serrano
Gareth Harris is Chief Contributing Editor of The Art Newspaper, and was previously Deputy Editor (2005-09). He has written numerous articles for the Financial Times on the visual arts and the art market, and has also written for The New York Times, The Times, Apollo Magazine and Frieze. His doctoral thesis from the University of London focuses on the artist Umberto Boccioni and the poet Blaise Cendrars.
Foreword; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Political Censorship in China, Cuba and the Middle East; 2. The Suppression of LGBTQ+ Artists in 'Illiberal Democracies'; 3. The Algorithms Policing Art Online; 4. Western Museums and 'Cancel Culture'; 5. Censoring the Past? The Narratives around 'Problematic' Monuments; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index