Preview our SPRING 2026 catalog, featuring more than 500 new books on art, photography, design, architecture, film, music and visual culture.
A BLADE OF GRASS BOOKS
Future Imperfect
A Blade of Grass
Edited by Elizabeth M. Grady. Introduction by Deborah Fisher. Foreword by Shelley Frost Rubin. Text by Jan Cohen-Cruz, Ben Davis, Charles Esche, et al.
Future Imperfect weaves together accessible scholarship and leading examples of socially engaged art, including artist projects by Mel Chin, Brett Cook, Pablo Helguera, Fran Ilich, Norene Leddy & Liz Slagus, Jan Mun and Jody Wood. Christian Viveros-Fauné considers social practice in a business context; Greg Sholette debates its progressive bona fides; Charles Esche ruminates on its utopian claims and Grant Kester explores the tension between theory and practice. Further essays by Deborah Fisher, Laura Raicovich, Jan Cohen-Cruz and Elizabeth Grady analyze the institutional context for the art, exploring the ways that it affects organizational structure, how its impact can be assessed, and curatorial perspectives. Sections on each of the artist projects include an informative description and rich illustrations that open a window onto the artists’ practice. Additional contributions by Ben Davis, Tom Finkelpearl, Rick Lowe and Nato Thompson interrogate questions of ethics and effectiveness.
FORMAT: Pbk, 7.5 x 9.25 in. / 199 pgs / 139 color / 7 duotone / 9 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $29.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $39.95 GBP £27.00 ISBN: 9780984230730 PUBLISHER: A Blade of Grass Books AVAILABLE: 3/28/2017 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: WORLD
Published by A Blade of Grass Books. Edited by Elizabeth M. Grady. Introduction by Deborah Fisher. Foreword by Shelley Frost Rubin. Text by Jan Cohen-Cruz, Ben Davis, Charles Esche, et al.
Future Imperfect weaves together accessible scholarship and leading examples of socially engaged art, including artist projects by Mel Chin, Brett Cook, Pablo Helguera, Fran Ilich, Norene Leddy & Liz Slagus, Jan Mun and Jody Wood. Christian Viveros-Fauné considers social practice in a business context; Greg Sholette debates its progressive bona fides; Charles Esche ruminates on its utopian claims and Grant Kester explores the tension between theory and practice. Further essays by Deborah Fisher, Laura Raicovich, Jan Cohen-Cruz and Elizabeth Grady analyze the institutional context for the art, exploring the ways that it affects organizational structure, how its impact can be assessed, and curatorial perspectives. Sections on each of the artist projects include an informative description and rich illustrations that open a window onto the artists’ practice. Additional contributions by Ben Davis, Tom Finkelpearl, Rick Lowe and Nato Thompson interrogate questions of ethics and effectiveness.
