“Allows us to see the historical moment we live in through the lens of past struggles. It is a much-needed inquiry into the tremendous possibilities of art then and now to engender powerful social transformation.”
—Eva Díaz, Professor of the History of Art and Design, Pratt Institute.
“A wonderfully smart, readable and informative study of a topic that matters to almost everyone interested in art, which is more than enough to recommend it. But gems like the luminous chapter on Agnes Denes and the eye-opening revisionary discussion of her relation to Smithson make it something even better—essential reading.”
—Walter Benn Michaels, author of The Shape of the Signifier
“In a deft and engaging account of artist-led activism in the us since the 1960s, Lauren O’Neill-Butler makes the case that artists bring something unique to struggles for social justice, alongside their passion and righteous anger: creativity. A necessary book as we find new ways to organize and resist.”
—Julia Bryan-Wilson, professor of LGBTQ+ art history, Columbia university
“[The War of Art] explores the interplay of activism and art in these thought-provoking case studies…O’Neill-Butler succeeds in cataloging the broad array of strategies artists have used to agitate for change, and she offers measured critiques of their works, which often reflected positions of privilege. Art historians will find much to chew on here.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Invoking Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, O’Neill-Butler explores the subversive, surprising, and often brilliant tactics of artists fighting for social change…A rare behind-the-scenes look at artist/activists who took on the AIDS crisis, police brutality, and art-world elitism.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Walk through New York’s gleaming gallery neighborhoods and the notion that art (or artists) could be considered edgy, provocative or dangerously political seems like a fantasy. But in the not-so-distant past, dedicated artists used their work to fight for everything from housing rights to AIDS awareness. Butler, a former editor at Artforum, has structured the book around oral histories from several key figures, charting their work from the 1960s to the present.”
—Bloomberg
“This timely tome by Lauren O’Neill-Butler charts the history of artistic-activist debate going back to the 1960s, drawing on oral history work related to the Black Emergency Cultural Coalition, Women Artists in Revolution, ACT UP, and other organizations, as well as art by Agnes Denes, Edgar Heap of Birds, fierce pussy, and Nan Goldin, among others.”
—Art in America
“A book with backbone … I hope that readers take The War of Art’s generous insights to heart.”
—Cassie Packard, Frieze Best Summer Reads
“The War of Art: A History of Artists’ Protest in America comes at a moment when many of us are considering what tools we have to create the world we want to live in. Artists have long grappled with this question, O’Neill-Butler reminds us, as many have even fused their aesthetic inclinations with their desires for justice.””
—Grace Ebert, Colossal
“The book honors the passion and integrity of artists who identify a problem and conceive of creative ways to protest. It demonstrates that activist artists, when determined, can use their work to influence our thinking in positive ways, and effect change.”
—Lauren Kaufmann, Arts Fuse
“Prescient, daring.”
—Jemima Skala, AnOther Magazine
“O’Neill-Butler offers an essential corrective to the idea that art history excludes politics, arguing instead that they are intricately linked. At a time in which many artists are understandably feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and unproductive, The War of Art is an essential call to action and a reminder that our work has the power to create lasting change.”
—Chicago Review of Books
“There is no dearth of books about art and activism — in fact, I dare say there have been more titles on this subject in recent years than any of us has the patience to read. But Lauren O’Neill-Butler’s The War of Art stands apart for a simple reason: It is engaging, propulsive writing that not only looks back at history, but also reveals timely lessons for the art-as-resistance of today.”
—Valentina Di Liscia, Hyperallergic
“With artist-led protests once again becoming a thing – from the thousands of actors and filmmakers who recently pledged to boycott the Israeli movie industry in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to the presence of a 12-foot statue depicting President Trump and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein frolicking on the National Mall, this book about the past provides a powerful frame for thinking about artist-led actions today.”
—Chloe Veltman, NPR’s Best Books of 2025
“Brisk and deeply informed, O’Neill-Butler’s book is as straightforward as Clark’s and Koerner’s are elliptical. All stand as powerful protests against the kind of amnesia the current administration promotes.”
—ArtForum’s Best Books of 2025
“O’Neill-Butler utilizes archival research and hundreds of hours of oral histories to create nuanced portraits of key people and groups, and she delves into the questions motivating and compelling their efforts: How do slogans travel across media channels? When does protest transform into action? And how can that action move beyond the symbolic realm?”
—Tess Pollok, Los Angeles Review of Books
