Art and Text: A Critical Review of Three Historical Perspectives

Christophe Kihm's review in Art Press (February 2010) examines the book 'Art and Text' by Will Hill, Charles Harrison, and Dave Beech, published by Black Dog Publishing. The book surveys 20th-century art-language relations across three historical periods: early avant-garde, conceptual art, and contemporary art. Kihm finds the contributions uneven: Will Hill's essay on graphic design and typography (Apollinaire's calligrams, Mallarmé's poetry, Futurism, Schwitters) offers no new insights. Dave Beech's piece on contemporary art is criticized for relying on philosophical name-dropping and superficial parallels with artworks. Charles Harrison's essay 'Think Again' stands out; the late Art & Language member refutes his own 1970 text on Kosuth, arguing that conceptual art retains ties to fine art tradition and modernism, emphasizing the intellectual plenitude lost in high modernism's visual forms. The book's iconographic choices are praised.