Contemporary photography - which originally

emerged from performance art - has developed

over the last fifty years into one of the

most intriguing phenomena in today's artistic

landscape. Demonstrating the unabated

power of art to regenerate itself, this relatively

recent art form has been reenergized

by talented visual artists, many of whom

reference back to the history of traditional

photography. Photography infuses every

aspect of contemporary life ; its experimental,

dissident, and modern "spirit" now feeds

into photojournalism, fashion photography,

and advertising alike.

This engaging and instructive book, richly

illustrated throughout, offers fascinating

insight into the evolution of photography

since the 1960s, examining a vast range of

genres, techniques, and practices, and providing

the basis for a deeper understanding of

contemporary photography's role in society.