The Uses of Excess in Visual and Material Culture, 1600–2010

Download or read book The Uses of Excess in Visual and Material Culture, 1600–2010 written by Ms Julia Skelly and published by Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. This book was released on 2014-08-28 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although the idea of excess has often been used to degrade, many of the essays in this collection demonstrate how it has also been used as a strategy for self-fashioning and empowerment, particularly by women and queer subjects. This volume examines a range of material - including ceramics, paintings, caricatures, interior design and theatrical performances - in various global contexts. Each case study sheds new light on how excess has been perceived and constructed, revealing how beliefs about excess have changed over time.