WHEN HUMOUR BECOMES PAINFUL

This book is about art and humor. For many years, artists have used jokes, surprises, and unusual ideas in their work. They do not only want to make people laugh — they also want to make them think.

The book was created alongside an exhibition with the same title. It shows artworks that play with the ways humor works. Some pieces are funny, some are strange, and some are a little cheeky. In this way, art can surprise us and change how we see the world.

Many well-known artists are included in this book. Their works show that humor in art can be more than just fun — it can also be smart, bold, and critical.

Edited by Felicity Lunn and Heike Munder, 

Texts by Simon Critchley, Felicity Lunn, Heike Munder, and Slavoj Žižek

Languages: German / EnglishPublished in October 2005

240 pages with 120 color illustrations

Publisher: JRP|Ringier