Art & energy: how culture changes

Abstract

"In Art & Energy, Barry Lord argues that human creativity is deeply linked to the resources available on earth for our survival. From our ancient mastery of fire through our exploitation of coal, oil, and gas, to the development of today's renewable energy sources, each new source of energy fundamentally transforms our art and culture--how we interact with the world, organize our communities, communicate, and conceive of and assign value to art. By analyzing art, artists, and museums across eras and continents, Lord demonstrates how our cultural values and artistic expression are formed by our efforts to access and control the energy sources that make these cultures possible. Ultimately, Art & Energy reveals how, in Lord's words, "energy transition is a powerful engine of cultural change.""-- Provided by publisher.

Contents

What's Energy got to do with it? -- Basics: Sexual and Kinetic Energy -- Fire: Culture of the Hearth -- Cooperation and Control: Collective Identity -- Animal Power: Domestication and Domesticity -- The Energy of Slaves and the Culture of Domination -- Water Power: Irrigation and Urbanism -- Wind in our Sails: Investment and Individuality -- Firewood and Charcoal: the World's First Energy Crisis -- Coal: The Culture of Production -- Electrification: Transforming the World -- Nuclear Energy: Anxiety and Victimhood -- Renewable Energy: The Culture of Stewardship -- Conclusion: Understanding Cultural Change.