Caterina Albano's 'Fear and Art in the Contemporary World' Explores Anxiety Through Art and Science

Caterina Albano's book 'Fear and Art in the Contemporary World' examines fear as a modern zeitgeist, blending art analysis with insights from psychoanalysis, sociology, and neuroscience. Published in January & February 2013, the work is structured into four sections—'Bodies', 'Narratives', 'Objects', and 'Spaces'—featuring case studies of artworks by UK artists like Rachel Whiteread, Douglas Gordon, Cornelia Parker, and Willie Doherty. Albano, a researcher and curator for Artakt, draws on historical contexts, referencing Sigmund Freud's 1920 'Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis' and contemporary culture, including Lena Dunham's 2012 HBO series 'Girls'. The book originates from Albano's role at Artakt, which has produced exhibitions such as a psychoanalysis show at London's Science Museum (2010–11) and an art and biotechnologies display at London's Royal Institution (2009). While praised for its interdisciplinary approach, the text is critiqued for occasional academic vagueness and an uneven focus on art, with some artists like Mike Kelley mentioned briefly without in-depth discussion. Albano aims to capture 'points of contact' rather than provide a comprehensive overview, resulting in a broad but sometimes foggy exploration of fear's aesthetics. The article reviewing the book was first published on ArtReview in 2013, highlighting its relevance to contemporary art discourse.