Ways of Seeing

ist publishing is an independent publishing house specializing in books on contemporary culture and art.

The book “Ways of Seeing” by British art critic John Berger is one of the most widely read modern texts on art. It was written based on the BBC television series of the same name and was first published in 1972 by Penguin Books. Berger focuses on how people perceive works of art and, using examples from painting and advertising, demonstrates that images carry ideological meaning alongside their narrative content and that methods of reproduction shape our contemporary relationship with art.

The critic puts forward the idea that writing about art should not only serve as an authoritative interpretation but also help readers develop their own ability to see and to articulate their thoughts. This intention is reflected in the book’s structure, which alternates between textual and visual essays (the latter consisting solely of images). The reader looks at images, then reads the text and afterward returns to the images independently. The book’s underlying aim is captured in Berger’s attempt to “start asking questions.” It was important for him to create a book in which discussions about art, mechanical reproduction, the female body, advertising and oil painting would be taken up and continued by a wide audience — students, artists, cultural institutions and other art critics.