Prime: Art’s Next Generation

Art publisher Phaidon’s latest survey spotlights global contemporary art from the millennial generation of artists. For this volume, up-and-coming curators, writers, and scholars working at some of the world’s foremost art institutions selected over 100 artists under 40 years old, including Amoako Boafo, Jordan Casteel, Jesse Darling, Lauren Halsey, Tyler Mitchell, Thao Nguyen Phan, and Zadie Xa. These artists work in “new” media (film, photography, digital) as well as painting and sculpture; many are multidisciplinary, making immersive artworks that physically and psychologically capture viewers’ attention. Narratives of current events and artist biographies contextualize the artworks in this book, which address subjects like white supremacy, queerness, environmental crisis, technological ascendancy, and war. Each artist is introduced in alphabetical order with a one-page discussion of their creative motivations and most significant works, followed by three pages of color images of their art; a preface and index bookend the entries.