CAN WE TELL A “STORY” OF CONTEMPORARY ART?

Abstract

This book review introduces and analyzes Tony Godfrey’s The Story of Contemporary Art, translated into Vietnamese by Trần Phương Thúy and published by Thế Giới Publishing House and Nhã Nam in 2026. It begins with Godfrey’s question of whether contemporary art can be told as a “story,” as Ernst Gombrich did for the history of art. The review argues that Godfrey’s main contribution is to organize an inherently multilinear and non-linear field through changes in artistic practice, institutions, the art market, and ideas about art from the mid-twentieth century to the present. It also examines the book’s treatment of global art history, the limits of chronological periodization, and the risk of preserving a Western-centered perspective. The article concludes that any “story” of contemporary art must remain open to multiple stories and perspectives.