Pretentiousness: Why It Matters
by Dan Fox
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Description
"Pretentiousness is for anyone who has braved being different, whether that's making a stand against artistic consensus or running the gauntlet of the last bus home dressed differently from everyone else. It's an essential ingredient in pop music and high art. Why do we choose accusations of elitism over open-mindedness? What do our anxieties about "pretending" say about us? Co-editor of Frieze, Europe's foremost magazine of contemporary art and culture, Dan Fox has authored over two hundred show more essays, interviews, and reviews, contributed to numerous catalogues and publications produced by major international art galleries and institutions"-- show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Extended essay on "pretentiousness", arguing that most accusations of pretentiousness arise from an unwillingness to engage with the unfamiliar, and that pretentiousness is vital to creativity in the arts in particular. Along the way taking in visual art, theatre, pop music, writing, the author's own life, it makes a compelling case for re-habilitating the word "pretentious" with positive connotations. An engaging and entertaining read.
Quirky little book, basically a few essays stitched together. Partly an examination of what pretentiousness is, partly a defense of it, partly looking at the good sides of at least some pretentiousness. Blessedly short but could have been even a bit shorter. Nice biographical postscript at the end.
Rather middlebrow.
Rather middlebrow.
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Author Information
14 Works 209 Members
Awards and Honors
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Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 2016
- First words
- Start with the basics.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Stay busy, out of phase, in love.
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Statistics
- Members
- 149
- Popularity
- 217,339
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.64)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 4
