Creative Reckonings

"The extraordinary strengths of this book lie in its thorough ethnography, its theorizing of artistic impulse and resulting artistic work in terms of class and the political economy of the time, and its fine treatment of modernity through the lens of art. WInegar offers a wonderful critique of Enlightenment thinking in an Egyptian context, taking on individualism and other Western-derived concepts of modernity as she goes."—Virginia Danielson, The Journal of Coparative Studies in Society and History
"Through the perspective of the social institutions where art is produced and discussed, sold and collected, this book presents an exciting and smart account of modern Egyptian culture. It will immediately become the most important work on the subject."—Elliott Colla, Brown University
"In a very compelling and lively style, Jessica Winegar examines the world of fine art in Egypt to provide us keen insights into the turmoils and opportunities afforded by today's fastmoving neoliberal openings. Reading this book was a great delight."—Ted Swedenburg, University of Arkansas, coeditor of Palestine, Israel, and the Politics of Popular Culture
"Through this rich account of the practice of modern art in a postcolonial setting, Jessica Winegar offers a brilliant analysis of how an art world is fashioned as an arena of cultural politics and a means of reckoning with the multiple experiences of modernity." —Tim Mitchell, New York University
"As the only study of its kind to date, and for its sensitive view of the conditions of artistic culture in modern Egypt, Creative Reckonings is an invaluable contribution to studies of the modern Middle East, post-Arab socialist cultural history, and anthropologies of modern and contemporary art." —Arab Studies Journal