Why have some of the most interesting artists of our time committed
themselves to some of the most devastating conflicts on Earth?
Why are some of the most interesting artists of our time committed to
engaging with conflict and exploitation around the world? Beautiful,
Gruesome, and True tells the stories of three of them: Amar Kanwar
makes riveting films about the destruction of rural India in the drive
to extract natural resources. Teresa Margolles creates haunting
installations from the traces of crime scenes and drug-related violence
in Mexico. The anonymous collective Abounaddara has produced more than
four hundred short films chronicling the uprising and civil war in
Syria. Drawing on years of research and extensive reporting, Kaelen
Wilson-Goldie vividly recounts how a group of "political" artists found
ways to produce remarkable works of art that demand deliberate and
methodical ways of thinking--works that are contemplative, thoughtful,
even redemptive.
Named one of the best art books of the year by Holland Cotter of the
New York Times
"A gifted critic and a compelling journalist, Wilson-Goldie offers
many important insights into the challenges these artists face in their
confrontation with authority, repressive regimes, death, and violence.
The story she tells could not be more timely."
--Glenn D. Lowry, David Rockefeller Director, Museum of Modern Art
