The Phillips Collection, in Washington, D.C., was the first museum of modern art in the United States and today stands as a legacy to its founder and creator, Duncan Phillips.

Beyond the Town addresses the wide audience of visitors coming to Hauser & Wirth Somerset at Durslade Farm in England--once an 18th-century agricultural property, transformed into a 21st-century arts center. A portrait of the people and ideas behind this unique project, it is geared toward both professional and amateur audiences interested in art, architecture and landscape architecture, as well as cooking and gardening. Four essays place Durslade Farm in the wider context of the society and environment of Somerset and beyond. Each essay concentrates on one topic (architecture, gardening, society, art and education) to discuss the richness of this gallery model and to approach and reflect upon it from unexpected points of view. The essays are woven together with a trove of images as well as more personal conversations with the people at the heart of Durslade.

This selection of essays by a prominent art historian, critic and curator of modern art examines the art and artists of the twentieth century who have operated outside the established art world. In a lucid and accessible style, Peter Selz explores modern art as it is reflected, and has had an impact on, the tremendous transformations of politics and culture, both in the United States and in Europe. An authoritative overview of a neglected phenomenon, his essays explore the complex relationship between art at the periphery and art at the putative center, and how marginal art has affected that of the mainstream.

The explosion of rap music and the street culture from which it sprang have had an indelible influence on our lifestyle today. We see it in our language, fashion, advertising, role models, and most notably, our contemporary art. Beyond Bling: Voices of Hip-Hop in Art examines this phenomenon as seen through the art of ten of the most exciting, innovative and diverse contemporary artists working in the 21st Century. Featuring a painting of an African-American male as the new art historical icon by Kehinde Wiley, a sequined, baroque image of the African-American woman by Mickalene Thomas, the Asian-influenced graffiti art of Gajin Fujita, and neighborhood women from a mural featured in New York's Times Square by Sofia Maldonado, among many other outstanding works, this fascinating book highlights how the new art of this Century reflects the influence of hip-hop culture and its undeniable mark on society at large. Contents: Matthew McLendon - Come as You Are; Interview with Michael Anderson; Interview with Vince Fraser; Interview with Gajin Fujita; Interview with Luis Gispert; Interview with Sofia Maldonado; Interview with Mickalene Thomas. AUTHOR: Matthew McLendon is the Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. 75 colour illustrations