Dan Fox - Pretentiousness: Why It Matters

A million thanks to Caroline Casey, Chris Fischbach, Amelia Foster, and Carla Valadez at Coffee House Press for publishing this book in the US and for their advice, enthusiasm, and patience. This book would not be the same without the generosity of the artists who kindly gave permission to reproduce their work: Glen Baxter, Pablo Bronstein, Marc Camille Chaimowicz, Steven Claydon, Mark Leckey, Tala Madani, David Noonan, and Frances Stark.

Pretentiousness: Why It Matters had its genesis in two essays and one talk: Class Act, published in frieze magazine in 2009; Train, Heave on to Euston! which appeared in Nothings Too Good for the Common People: The Films of Paul Kelly, edited by Sukhdev Sandhu and published by Texte und Tne in 2013 (greatly expanded here as the postscript); and What Is Pretentiousness and Does It Make Me Look Good? given in 2013 at the Moonlighter Presents... lecture series in New York City, organized by Stephanie DeGooyer and Justin Martin. Trace elements from all three have found their way into this volume and Id like to express immense appreciation to my colleagues at frieze, and to Sukhdev, Stephanie, and Justin for giving me not just those first opportunities to rehearse my ideas but also for the invaluable conversations that followed.

This book would not have been possible without the generous advice, recommendations, and collective intellects of Chloe Aridjis, Stuart Bailey, Mark Beasley, David Birkin, Michael Bracewell, Tim Braden, Brian Catling, Jonty Claypole, Paul Clinton, Andy Cooke, Peter M. Coviello, Mark Fisher, Ben Furstenberg, Tom Gidley, Richard Hartshorn, Jrg Heiser, The Hermeneutic Circle, Jennifer Higgie, Sarah Hromack, Andrew Hultkrans, Jennifer Kabat, Katie Kitamura, Adam Kleinman, Hari Kunzru, Annie Godfrey Larmon, Claire Lehmann, The Leopards & Horses, David Levine, Jenny Lord, Laura Lord, Jessica Loudis, Brenda Lozano, Simon Martin, Jodhi May, Tom McCarthy, Molly McIver, Nathaniel Mellors, Olivia Mole, Tom Newth, David Noonan, George Pendle, Mick Peter, Max Porter, David Reinfurt, Simon Reynolds, Tyler Rowland, Anna Saltmarsh, Bob Stanley, Polly Staple, Emily Stokes, Sam Thorne, Lynne Tillman, Johnny Vivash, Sam Walls, Marcus Werner Hed, Chris Wiley, and Constance Wyndham. Special mention must go to Sierra Pettengill for her encouragement, feedback, and kindness during the writing process.

Finally, my biggest love and thanks go to Glenys, John, Mark, Karl, Ellen, and Osian, my family, without whom none of this ever would have happened.

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