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Library Journal Review

Tucker, who holds a post at the University of Sussex once held by R.D. Laing, argues that contrary to widespread opinion, the meaning of modern art is more hopeful than many have assumed. Although he does not deny the cynicism, commodification, and hyper-objectification pointed out by others, he has an abiding faith in the individual artist. Tucker, who draws direct parallels between recent artistic developments and the work of shamans throughout history, sees the artist as a living bridge to alternative planes of consciousness, a pathfinder to and potential forger of social health. An excellent text for modern art survey courses, this book embraces a venerable who's who of cultures, from rap to the films of Andrei Tarkovsky. The black-and-white illustrations are not the expected ones.-- Susan M. Olcott, Columbus Metropolitan Lib., Ohio (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.