Bob Nickas's Collected Writings 2007-2015 Critique Art World Conventions
Published by Karma in 2016 for $25.00 (ISBN 9781942607199), Bob Nickas's 'The Department of Corrections: Collected Writings 2007-2015' brings together eight years of his insightful critiques across 416 pages. The book is divided into four parts: Lost & Found, NYC, Repetition and the Politics of Time, Out of the Blue and into the Black, and Supply & Demand, where he takes aim at traditional art criticism. Nickas questions the notions of artistic merit, critiques the influence of commercialization, and challenges art awards. He also shines a light on lesser-known artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kara Walker, and David Hammons, while his New York section reflects on the fading remnants of urban art, underscoring his unconventional stance in the art scene.
Key facts
- Bob Nickas published 'The Department of Corrections: Collected Writings 2007-2015' in 2016
- The book contains 416 pages of writings from an eight-year period
- Karma published the volume with ISBN 9781942607199 for $25.00
- Four thematic sections organize the content including NYC and Supply & Demand
- Nickas critiques art prizes as medieval and questions hierarchical quality assumptions
- He addresses overlooked artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kara Walker, and David Hammons
- The writer notes MoMA has not acquired Basquiat paintings despite the artist's popularity
- Nickas examines art commercialization and Andy Warhol's role in making artists marketable commodities
Entities
Artists
- Bob Nickas
- Andy Warhol
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Kara Walker
- David Hammons
- Frank Stella
Institutions
- Karma
- Artforum
- MoMA
Locations
- New York
- United States