Gwen John letters and notebooks ; selected from the Gwen John papers at the National Library of Wales

Live, or performance, art is one of the most controversial and hotly discussed areas of art practice to emerge in the second half of the twentieth century. The history of live art is one of challenge to audiences, art traditions and cultural values. With elements of performance now part of the practice of many of today's best-known artists, and boundaries between visual art, theatre and live art more and more blurred, this collection is long overdue. Leading artists and thinkers assess the relevance of live art now, its impact within the visual arts and the broader cultural sphere. Hugo Glendinning's stunning colour photographs of performance events are combined with numerous essays examining the political, philosophical and cultural resonances of the work of a diverse range of international live artists, both historical and contemporary. Accessible, critically astute and expansive, Live is an indispensable resource for all those with an interest in some of the most vibrant and contested issues in art today.