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The Human Argument: The Writings of Agnes Denes

The Human Argument: The Writings of Agnes Denes - Main image
$17 $25 In stock

Category: Art of Play

Agnes Denes is one of the originators of concept-based art and one of the first artists to be involved with the relationship of science to art. Since the 1960s she has investigated the physical and social sciences, philosophy, mathematics, linguistics, psychology, art history, poetry, and music, and transformed her explorations into unique works of art. A pioneer of the environmental art movement, her work involves ecological, cultural and social issues, and is often monumental in scale. An artist of enormous vision, Denes has authored several books, including Paradox and Esssence (1976), Sculptures of the Mind (1976), and Book of Dust: The Beginning and the End of Time and Thereafter (1989). In her writings, the conceptual artist Agnes Denes investigates science, philosophy, linguistics, psychology, art history, poetry, and music.

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Customer Reviews (5.0 / 5 · 5 reviews)

William ★★★★★

The way Denes ties science and art together in these essays feels decades ahead of its time, and the physical book itself has a sturdy, well-bound quality that makes it easy to flip back and forth between sections. I’ve already reread the opening chapter twice.

Emily ★★★★★

The essays here trace her shift from early conceptual pieces to the later ecological projects, and the reproductions of her drawings are sharp enough to study the hand-drawn grids. I’ve read other anthologies of artist writings, but this one actually gives you her full arguments, not just excerpts.

Ryan ★★★★★

Finally, a collection that does justice to Denes's blend of art and science—the essays are dense but rewarding, and the reproductions of her early land drawings made me stop and stare for a solid five minutes. I've been looking for something that captures her conceptual rigor without dumbing it down