Art and the Nation State

Reviews / Votes

'An original and readable study, this book presents a wealth of historical detail, constructing a peopled culture of modernism in Ireland with state actors, artists, commissions of art, patrons, and exhibition organisers, introducing modern works that have not been discussed extensively within the history of art.' Dr Louise Purbrick, University of Brighton 'Fluently written, this is an important book that will make a significant contribution to the expanding literature around twentieth century Irish art.'
Dr Fionna Barber, Manchester Metropolitan University 'Art & The Nation State offers a way into the world of Irish visual art accessible to anyone. In [Kennedy's] holistic approach to art history and reference to a wide range of sources, [she] has produced a comprehensive story of modern Irish art which is richer and more thought-provoking than most tomes on the subject.' Alice Quinn Banville, Dublin Review of Books 'Maybe the single greatest tribute to the history of Modernism in the visual arts in Ireland or wherever Irish artists took it beyond the island, is Roisin Kennedy's courageous and nuanced discussion of the impacts it had on audiences, whether they were artists themselves, critical writers, collectors, or the receiving general public.'
Catherine Marshall, Museum Ireland 'The great merit of [Art and the Nation State is] Kennedy's analysis encourage[s] people to rethink marginalized art in Europe and its politicized reception and to locate it within the debates about global modernity.'
Elizabeth Ansel, Sehepunkte **'...Roisin Kennedy has packed a dense amount of art history into her single volume, and the depth of her research is formidable. A work of reference for art-conscious people to keep within easy reach.' Brian Fallon, Irish Arts Review