Entertaining, lyrical and informative, Art Life is a selection of essays written between 1991 and 2005 by well-known contemporary art curator Lawrence Rinder (born 1961). Rinder’s work is distinguished by a concern for art’s role in reflecting and shaping daily life. Informed by history, philosophy and popular culture, these essays provide keys to understanding a broad range of contemporary practices–from painting and drawing to online art and video installation. In each of these texts, Rinder muses on how the intersection of material, image and idea creates meaning in some of the most compelling artworks of the past few decades.

Among the many artists discussed are Luc Tuymans, Sophie Calle, Martin Creed, Ara Peterson, Jim Drain, Louise Bourgeois, Mark Lombardi, Jack Smith and Irit Batsry. All of the essays in Art Life are unified by Rinder’s clear writing style—seamlessly interspersed with a selection of images—and his consistent engagement with the experience of art and art’s relevance to our daily lives. This book is ideal for scholars and students alike.