Supernova: Art of the 1990s From the Logan Collection

su-per-no-va: n., pl. A rare celestial phenomenon involving the explosion of most of the material in a star, resulting in an extremely bright, short-lived object that emits vast amounts of energy. Given the massive shift in the West's cultural sensibility in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and the current global political situation, the 1990s and its over-the-top, anything-goes art scene suddenly appear much more historical than contemporary. If we really are at the turning point that we seem to be, then we've arrived at a particularly opportune moment for reconsideration, for assessing the legacy of the decade after the frenzy has subsided. Supernova brings together a number of curators and critics--each of whom was actively involved in constructing the 1990s art discourse--to step back and consider what trans-identity, broad-based thematic trends can now be identified as emblematic of, or seminal to, the decade. The Kent and Vicki Logan collection of contemporary art offers a compelling and visually alluring vehicle to consider such issues, as these ambitious collectors were firmly planted at the center of the scene--acquiring some of the most challenging and iconic art of the period, including works by Young British Artists (YBAs), Asian practitioners and a diverse array of influential women artmakers. In Supernova, reproductions of these artists' works are dispersed among contributors' essays, which explore such themes as beauty and the abject, iconoclasm and the role of social activism in art.