Islands and Contemporary Art

A ground-breaking exploration of islands’ pivotal role in contemporary visual arts.

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In this ground-breaking exploration, Gill Perry looks at the vital role that islands play in contemporary visual arts. Responding to urgent issues such as migration, the climate emergency, and colonial and gendered histories, artists create compelling and provocative works that resonate across continents and colonial archipelagos. Perry navigates landscapes of the British Isles, Ireland, the Caribbean, Pacific Oceania and the Galápagos, drawing on desert island myths and insights from island studies. From the 1970s to the present, she illuminates imaginative representations in installation, multimedia and film projects by renowned artists such as Robert Smithson, Lisa Reihana, Roni Horn, Rodney Graham, Tacita Dean and Cornelia Parker. Rich with diverse perspectives, this book offers a profound journey through the artistic exploration of islands.