Picture This

by Philip Hayward

Published 30 June 1998
The last two decades have seen a proliferation of films, television programmes and videos about the arts, but as yet there has been little critical discussion about how the media have approached their subject. What is particularly striking about this fact is that more people receive their understanding of culture and the arts through television than through visits to opera houses, theatres or art galleries. "Picture This" brings together for the first time a collection of articles addressing topics such as the history of art coverage on British TV, how the media represents feminist art and the impact of various post modern arts practices. "Picture This" thereby invites debate about the relations between art forms, popular cultural practices (including watching TV) and its audiences and extends it into a history of how the arts have been represented by film and television.