What Is Contemporary Art? opens up the exciting, dynamic and sometimes bewildering world of contemporary art for a young audience, inviting readers to explore, enjoy and question a variety of artworks drawn from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Organized thematically by subjects of interest to children—from games and unusual materials to outer space and bizarre beasts—the book features nearly 70 works made over the past 50 years by a range of international artists, from modern icons of the early 1960s such as Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” and Yves Klein’s “Anthropometry: Princess Helena” to recent pieces by contemporary artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Bruce Nauman, Olafur Eliasson, Andreas Gursky and Jeff Koons. Designed to encourage children to explore their own imaginative responses to art across all media—including painting and sculpture, film, photography, performance and installation—the book is packed with special features, including pull-out information and idea boxes, quotes from the artists, and “How did they do it?” prompts. What Is Contemporary Art? is an invaluable guide to The Museum of Modern Art’s contemporary collection for family visitors, and a captivating read for children (ages eight and up) and parents at home.
