How Photography Became Contemporary Art

Andy Grundberg was the chief photography critic at the New York Times from 1981 to 1991. He previously served as the director of the Ansel Adams Center in San Francisco and as chair of the photography department and dean of the Corcoran College of Art and Design. His book Crisis of the Real, first published in 1999, is a foundational work in the field of contemporary photography.

“As an analysis of the forces shaping a world where images ‘in effect replaced reality as we once knew it,’ [How Photography Became Contemporary Art] is the most astute, resonant cultural history I have read in 11 months of experiencing art—and much of life—more or less virtually.”—Jackie Wullschläger, Financial Times“Grundberg, former New York Times photography critic, is a vibrant, opinionated, authoritative guide to the medium’s past and present.”—Jackie Wullschläger, Financial Times, “Best Books of 2021: Visual Arts”“[A] fine book . . . a personal yet balanced account.”—Michael S. Roth, Washington Post“A must-read for photography enthusiasts.”—Shannon Marie Robinson, Library Journal“A veritable who’s who of contemporary fine art and includes photographers William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Cindy Sherman, and Laurie Simmons, who sought to elevate photography to the realm of fine art.”—Newsgroove UKCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2022“As one of the top photo critics and curators of the 1980s and ’90s, Andy Grundberg had a firsthand view as photography became a driving force in the art world, and it shows in his smart and personal book. How Photography Became Contemporary Art bears witness to one of the great transformations in 20th-century culture.”—Blake Gopnik, author of Warhol“Andy Grundberg, with his gentle and unprejudiced manner, created a platform for photographic imagery of all kinds not only through his critical writing but also by his mere presence from the 1970s through the ’90s. His writing about the photography of an era, as well as his relationships with its pivotal players, preserves the spirit of that moment through his deep affection and understanding of the whole big picture.”—Tina Barney“Grundberg writes candidly and anecdotally, weaving a compelling narrative through more than twenty years of events and exhibitions. Written in concise, engaging language, this amazing book vividly brings to life my own early years in New York, capturing the irreverent, experimental, exuberant spirit of the times.”—Sandy Skoglund“Grundberg is one of the great writers on the recent history of photography. His first-person account precisely documents an era that now seems inconceivable, when the contemporary art scene didn’t recognize photography as art. Grundberg was there and his activism and criticism were part of the radical shift that has made photography central to the art world.”—Mike and Doug Starn