Josh Kline: Project for a New American Century

Josh Kline is a contemporary artist who examines how technology and corporate capitalism have disrupted our lives and polarized society. His art explores how climate change, automation, disease, and politics have shaped our identities and proposes a more equitable and empathetic future. This book features his ongoing cycle of installations, as well as his earlier bodies of work, and production images and concept sketches for his newest works. The exhibition will be held at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York from April 19–August 13, 2023.

Format: Hardback
Length: 265 pages
Publication date: 28 March 2023
Publisher: Yale University Press

One of the most intriguing artists of his generation, Josh Kline (b. 1979) creates installations, sculptures, videos, and photographs that explore the profound ways in which new technologies have transformed our lives and polarized society. With a keen eye on the diverse range of concerns that impact the entire workforce, from essential workers to the creative class, Kline vividly demonstrates how climate change, automation, disease, and politics have shaped our identities. In a time when so many aspects of our existence are under threat, Kline takes an unflinching look at the circumstances that led us to this point and boldly imagines a more equitable and compassionate future.

Through his art, Kline powerfully illustrates how technology has widened and reinforced the existing disparities in America, while also holding the potential to create a more fair and just world. As an artist who is deeply contemplative about the implications of technological innovation, Kline believes that there is an inherent responsibility to raise questions about who benefits from these advancements. His ongoing cycle of installations, which includes works such as Freedom (2014–16), Unemployment (2015–16), Civil War (2016–19), and Climate Change (2019–), offers a captivating glimpse into the next hundred years of society. These installations not only showcase Kline's artistic vision but also serve as a powerful platform for raising awareness about the urgent social and environmental challenges we face today.

In addition to his installation works, this book also presents a comprehensive retrospective of Kline's earlier bodies of work, including Creative Labor (2009–) and Blue Collars (2014–). It includes production images and concept sketches for his most recent works, which are published here for the first time. The exhibition schedule for this book is as follows:

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
(April 19–August 13, 2023)

Through his art, Josh Kline continues to inspire us to reflect on the impact of technology and corporate capitalism on our lives and to work towards a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Weight: 1402g
Dimension: 351 x 359 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300269796