700. Arts books

The books classified specifically as 700 are those that deal in a general manner with the arts. For example, these books deal with art as a subject in and of itself. They are also placed in this category if they fit into several artistic disciplines or if they don’t fit neatly into any other category.

Further Reading

Adilifu Nama Super Black: American Pop Culture and Black Superheroes, 2012.

In this close examination of Black superheroes in pop culture, Nama Adilifu determines that they are symbols with political meaning. Looking at many specific characters including Black Panther and Nubia, she examines how they represent both racial assumptions and Black identity. Also discussed is are the ways these superheroes can help pave the way for social change.

Nell Painter Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over, 2018.

When, in her sixties, renowned historian Nell Irvin Painter retired from teaching at Princeton University, she decided it was time to embark on a new career. So she headed to the Rhode Island School of Design where her experiences as an older woman surrounded by young students were a only surface issue. She also shares how being Black affected her experiences and how she was forced to reorient her perspective on life. And what, she muses, does it mean to be an artist?

If you would like to learn more about the Further Reading series, please see Further Reading: Start Here.

Do you have any general art books to recommend? Leave a comment below!