This is Not New
Art, Culture, and the Promise of Change
1st Edition
Published on 20. May 2025
978-0-7453-4276-4 (ISBN)
Description
What does it mean to call something 'new'? Why is Western art and culture, even after postmodernism, still so obsessed with the concept? What are the consequences of relying on culture to bring about social change?
In this provocative book, David Balzer argues that Western culture was never designed to produce truly new or original artefacts. Rather, we move from fixation to fixation, trend to trend-a cycle of creation and destruction with deep origins in Judeo-Christianity and the paganism that preceded it. The culture industry promises its own form of change while preserving existing systems of power exactly as they are.
From the New Jerusalem to the New Left, from Vannevar Bush to Kate Bush, This is Not New asks difficult questions about the role of culture not in making change, but in delaying-even preventing-it.
In this provocative book, David Balzer argues that Western culture was never designed to produce truly new or original artefacts. Rather, we move from fixation to fixation, trend to trend-a cycle of creation and destruction with deep origins in Judeo-Christianity and the paganism that preceded it. The culture industry promises its own form of change while preserving existing systems of power exactly as they are.
From the New Jerusalem to the New Left, from Vannevar Bush to Kate Bush, This is Not New asks difficult questions about the role of culture not in making change, but in delaying-even preventing-it.
Reviews / Votes
'Balzer writes with zest, scepticism and sly humour' (praise for Curationism) -- Sheila Heti, author of <i>Motherhood</i>More details
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
File size
0,46 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-7453-4276-4 (9780745342764)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
05/2025
Pluto Press
€21.50
Available immediately
Person
David Balzer is a writer, lawyer, editor, and educator. He is the author of Contrivances (2012), Curationism: How Curating Took Over the Art World and Everything Else (2014), and This is Not New: Art, Culture, and the Promise of Change (2025). His critical writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Artforum, and Frieze. He lives in Canada.
Content
Preface
Prologue: Some Radicals
1. Culture Industry, Culture Wars
2. Natural Supernatural
3. The Whole Earth
Epilogue: Deeper Understanding
Notes
Prologue: Some Radicals
1. Culture Industry, Culture Wars
2. Natural Supernatural
3. The Whole Earth
Epilogue: Deeper Understanding
Notes
