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Romanticism, the brooding and intensely personal eighteenth-century art and literary movement, takes on a new lease of life in this carefully curated collection of interviews with contemporary artists from around the world. Informed by the writings of the renowned psychoanalyst James Hillman, Romanticism is reconsidered from a twenty-first-century perspective. Moving past a purely formal presentation of the artists' work, this text strives to uncover the deeper meaning and more pressing issues present in the artworks.
All connected by a similar romantic vein, Emma Coccioli explores each artist's individual practice through a series of carefully selected questions. For Coccioli, discussions of 'the moral issue' and the future of the world also form an important part of the interviews. Coccioli acknowledges that artists have often been asked questions about their role in relation to the moral issue and the problem of nihilism. However, even if we have an inherent understanding of the concepts of good and evil, Coccioli argues that there is a need to re-examine the modern-day psyche as it tends to be apathetic and with little emotional resonance on our actions and behaviour.
Global overpopulation, climate change, and the planet's limited resources are also meaningfully discussed in this collection of interviews. In questioning the artists, whose work addresses, even remotely, these topics, Coccioli encourages them to consider what they believe to be the greatest threats to today's global community and to suggest solutions that might be adopted by future generations.
This original and engaging look at contemporary art practice presents a sophisticated discussion of some of the most pressing issues for modern-day society. The interdisciplinary nature of this book means that it will appeal to students, scholars, artists and to anyone with an interest in the fascinating world of contemporary art.
About the author
Emma Coccioli studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan, whilst also pursuing her interest in music. She began her professional career as a production secretary in the film industry, before shifting her focus to the world of contemporary art. Since then, she has worked for several art galleries in Milan.
Inspired by the evocative power of art, Coccioli's research was driven by a need to develop a working relationship with esteemed artists from across the world. Animae is the result of these exchanges between Coccioli and the artists in question. By answering this need, Coccioli has also been able to contribute to the promotion and support of the artists' work.
