Recent books

Contemporary Art Museums in Europe

Josephina Eun-hwa Lee; Artbooks: 495 pp., 22,000 won

Contemporary art is generally considered abtract and esoteric, but art critic Josephina Eun-hwa Lee says getting familiar with modern art is similar to making friends, in her book “Contemporary Art Museums in Europe.”

She suggests encountering contemporary art as often as possible to appreciate it better and introduces European modern art museums, which mostly deal with artistic trends after the 1960s.

The book features 16 museums from Great Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain — from well-known Musee du Louvre and Tate Britain to hidden gems like Museum Insel Hombroich in Neuss, Germany and De Pont Museum of Contemporary Art in Tilburg, the Netherlands.

This is a revised edition of a 2005 book “Travelling Contemporary Art Museums in Europe in the 21st Century.” Lee revisited the museums to update the book and added information on art fairs and biennales, reflecting the recent art boom.

— Kwon Mee-yoo