The Body in Contemporary Art presents an international survey of art made over the last two decades in which the human form is central. Featuring work across a range of media, from painting and sculpture to installation, video art and performance, the book examines the different roles played by the body in art, from being the subject of portraiture to becoming an active presence in live and participatory events. Including the work of both internationally renowned and up-and-coming artists from Francis Alÿs, Marlene Dumas and Matthew Barney to Oleg Kulik, Olafur Eliasson and Ernesto Neto, the book shows how the body continues to be pivotal to our understanding and expression of our place in the universe.