Use biographical reference resources that summarize information on contemporary artists and their work with more in-depth information resources such as artist monographs (a book dedicated to one artist), exhibition catalogs (individual or group shows), museum catalogs, periodicals, and viable open-web resources.
Also browse Arts Reference FA-REF-4 in Hunt Library in this call number range N500 - N6000 to find major biennial/triennial exhibition catalogs (e.g. Whitney Biennial, Documenta, Bienale di Venezia, Carnegie International, selected contemporary or modern art history surveys, selected subject-specific surveys and selected gallery or museum catalogs.
Art Now (various editors and publishers from 2002-2013)
HUNT FA-REF N6490.4 .A37 2002; 2005; 2008; 2013
Pendergast, Sara and Pendergast,Tom, eds. Contemporary Artists. Chicago: St. James Press, 2002. HUNT FA-REF-4 N6490 .C6567 2002, 2 Vols. Previous editions by various editors are shelved next to the 2002 edition.
An excellent way to begin research on a contemporary artist. Contains comprehensive biographical information, individual and group shows, publications on and by the artist and a summary statement about the artists work.
Evans, Martin Marix ed., et.al. Contemporary Photographers. New York: St. James Press, 1995.
HUNT FA-REF-4 TR139 .C664 1995 (earlier editions shelved with the 1995 edition)
Same excellent format as in Contemporary Artists (see above).
Cream Series: Contemporary Art in Culture. (London: Phaidon)
Ice Cream HUNT FA-REF-4 N6490 .I24X 2007
Cream 3 (2003) HUNT-FA-REF-4 N6490 .C742 2003
Fresh Cream HUNT-FA-REF-4 709.04 F885 2000
Cream (1998) HUNT FA-REF-4 N6490 .C729 1998
Grosenick, Uta, ed. Women Artists in the 20th and 21st Century. Köln : Taschen, 2001.
HUNT FA-REF-4 N8354 .W653 2001
Gaze, Delia, ed. Dictionary of Women Artists. London and Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1997.
HUNT FA-REF-4 N8354 .D53 1997
Riggs, Thomas,ed.St. St. James Guide to Black Artists. Detroit: St. James Press, 1997
HUNT FA-REF-4 N40 .S78 1997
Same excellent format as in Contemporary Artists (see above).
Sitsky, Larry, ed. Music of the Twentieth Century Avant Garde: A Biocritical Sourcebook. Westport, Conn. and London: Greenwood Press, 2002.
HUNT FA-REF-4 ML390 .M9574 2002
Who's Who in American Art. New York: R.R. Bowker. Annual.
HUNT FA-REF-4 N6536 .W5
Very brief information
Who's Who in Art. London: The Art Trade Press, Ltd. Annual.
HUNT FA-REF-4 N40 .W6
Very brief information
A gateway to these scholarly reference works:
Grove Dictionary Online
Benezit Dictionary of Artists (historic)
