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Art and Agency:

Towards a New Anthropological Theory
Front Cover
7 Reviews
Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1998 - Social Science - 271 pages
Alfred Gell puts forward a new anthropological theory of visual art, seen as a form of instrumental action: the making of things as a means of influencing the thoughts and actions of others. He argues that existing anthropological and aesthetic theories take an overwhelmingly passive point of view, and questions the criteria that accord art status only to a certain class of objects and not to others. The anthropology of art is here reformulated as the anthropology of a category of action: Gell shows how art objects embody complex intentionalities and mediate social agency. He explores the psychology of patterns and perceptions, art and personhood, the control of knowledge, and the interpretation of meaning, drawing upon a diversity of artistic traditions--European, Indian, Polynesian, Melanesian, and Australian.

Art and Agencywas completed just before Alfred Gell's death at the age of 51 in January 1997. It embodies the intellectual bravura, lively wit, vigour, and erudition for which he was admired, and will stand as an enduring testament to one of the most gifted anthropologists of his generation.

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Review: Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory

User Review  - Panos - Goodreads

a wonderful book! It approaches the art object through its role as a social agent, so as the category of the art object is widely broadened. An interesting book for anthropologists and art lovers. Read full review

Review: Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory

User Review  - Lola - Goodreads

If I never read this book again, it will be too soon. Read full review

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References from web pages

Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory
Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory. Journal article by Mark Jamieson; Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol. 5, 1999 ...
www.questia.com/ PM.qst?a=o& se=gglsc& d=5001886353

JSTOR: Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory
Art and agency: an anthropological theory. xxiv, 271 pp., illus., bibliogr. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998 Alfred Gell's Art and agency, published posthu- ...
links.jstor.org/ sici?sici=1359-0987(199912)5%3A4%3C672%3AAAAAAT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-A

Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory. Alfred Gell. Oxford ...
Art and Agency: An Anthropological Theory. Alfred. Gell. Oxford:Clarendon Press, 1998. 296 pp. 106 ill. Stephanie Takaragawa. Temple University ...
www.anthrosource.net/ doi/ abs/ 10.1525/ var.1998.14.2.101

A Critique of Alfred Gell on Art and Agency | Oceania | Find ...
This review article examines in detail the argument in Alfred Gell's posthumously published book Art and Agency: an anthropological theory. ...
findarticles.com/ p/ articles/ mi_qa3654/ is_/ ai_n9453295

Material Worlds: Art and Agency in the Near East and Africa ...
Gell's Methodological Philistinism. Material Worlds: Art and Agency in the Near East and Africa. Post · Edit · Home · Help. Key Pages ...
proteus.brown.edu/ materialworlds/ 1948

A critique of Alfred Gell on Art and Agency.(Critical Essay ...
Alfred Gell's posthumously published book Art and Agency: an Anthropological Theory (1998) has achieved something of a cult status in modern anthropology. ...
goliath.ecnext.com/ coms2/ summary_0199-3569946_ITM

A critique of alfred Aell on Art and agency
This review article examines in detail the argument in Alfred Gell's posthumously published book Art and Agency: an anthropological theory. ...
cat.inist.fr/ ?aModele=afficheN& cpsidt=16889646

ingentaconnect Art and Agency: A Reassessment
Art and Agency: A Reassessment. Author: Layton R.1. Source: The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Volume 9, Number 3, September 2003 , pp. ...
www.ingentaconnect.com/ content/ bpl/ jrai/ 2003/ 00000009/ 00000003/ art00003;jsessionid=cno4g1lcf60pa.alice?format=print

Art and agency: a reassessment
In his book, Art and agency, Alfred Gell presents a theory of art based neither on aesthetics nor on visual communication. Art is defined by the disti
www.encyclopedia.com/ doc/ 1G1-108551414.html

Introduction: Art and Agency
Alfred Gell’s Art and Agency: an Anthropological Theory is a strikingly. original intervention in the anthropology of art, and also a controversial ...
doi.wiley.com/ 10.1002/ 9780470776629.ch

About the author (1998)


Alfred Gellis a former Reader in Anthropology in the London School of Economics.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Art and Agency
TitleArt and Agency: Towards a New Anthropological Theory
AuthorAlfred Gell
Editionillustrated, reprint
PublisherOxford University Press, Incorporated, 1998
ISBN0198280149, 9780198280149
Length271 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Art / Criticism & Theory
Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural
Social Science / Anthropology / General
  
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