LONDON.- In anticipation of the Hayward Gallery’s 50th anniversary in July 2018, Hayward Gallery Publishing celebrates this milestone and its long-lasting commitment to independent art publishing with the release of a new publication. Fifty Years of Great Art Writing is a collection of the most remarkable essays about modern and contemporary art as commissioned across half a century by London’s Hayward Gallery from some of the world’s leading writers, artists and thinkers.

Featuring an extensive list of reputable contributors, the texts included in Fifty Years of Great Art Writing encompass a large range of topics, perspectives and styles of writing, from the intimate and evocative voices of novelists and artists, to groundbreaking insights from eminent scholars, critics and curators of contemporary and modern art. Many of the contributors are hugely influential figures who have helped shape, and made major advances to, our understanding of visual art.

Contributions to Fifty Years of Great Art Writing include: Leon Kossoff on Frank Auerbach; Lucy Lippard on Gender and Contemporary Art; Bridget Riley on Paul Klee; Adrian Forty on Le Corbusier; Ali Smith on Tracey Emin; David Sylvester on Francis Bacon; Stuart Hall on Jeremy Deller; Will Self on George Condo; Geoff Dyer on Dayanita Singh; and Grayson Perry on Britain’s Forgotten Post-war Art, among others.

Originally published in exhibition catalogues, all of the texts were commissioned to provide interpretation and context for shows organised by Hayward Gallery and the regional touring programmes it supervises. Encapsulating the diverse range of art that has delighted, inspired and stimulated audiences throughout Hayward Gallery’s history, this anthology has appeal beyond the walls of the gallery and is an invaluable reference book for anyone interested in writing about art, and in modern and contemporary art more broadly. Many of the essays in this volume seem as timely and relevant as the day they were written; others offer fascinating takes on the critical temper and issues of particular moments from the past. The publication also includes 47 illustrations, many of which have never been published before.

Over the course of its existence, Hayward Gallery Publishing has produced over 350 catalogues, most containing multiple essays. This new anthology, which represents only a fraction of this output, was a collaboration between the Hayward curatorial and publishing teams, in consultation with a number of artists, writers and curators who at one time or another played a role in Hayward Gallery exhibitions.

Ralph Rugoff, Director of Hayward Gallery, said of the publication: “We are thrilled to have been able to amass some of the best essays ever commissioned by Hayward Gallery into a beautifully designed and insightful reference book, released just in time for the gallery’s 50th anniversary. Rather than produce a book commemorating the Hayward itself, we chose to make these valuable writings – most long out-of-print – available again for today’s readers. The work of Hayward Gallery Publishing has always been a very important strand of the gallery's output, and this volume celebrates its commitment to commissioning great art writing especially at a time when a lot of art publishing houses struggle to survive.”

Rebecca Fortey, Art Publisher, Hayward Gallery Publishing, said: “This publication showcases the incredible work that Hayward Gallery Publishing has produced over the last 50 years to support Hayward Gallery, Hayward Gallery Touring and Arts Council Collection exhibitions. The toughest part of the process was to choose from such an array of wonderful texts! However I’m delighted with the final selection, which encompasses many of the iconic moments from the Hayward Gallery’s history and captures the essence of its forward-looking approach to visual art.”

The release of the publication will be marked by a free launch event taking place on the evening of Thursday 10 May in the Hayward Gallery Shop. There will be an informal discussion panel chaired by Hayward Gallery Director Ralph Rugoff, featuring British novelist and critic Marina Warner and art writer and critic Adrian Searle.