Elliott’s book has a cheeky title and an unorthodox thesis. He interprets the worldwide conversion to pants as a metaphor for spreading modernist principles in science, philosophy, and social relations. The book comprises thirty-two previously published monographic essays and three newly written chapters.
Book review of Pants by Elliott
Elliott’s book is a combination of memoir and essay collection. The book’s central thesis is that the global conversion to pants is a metaphor for spreading modernist principles in economics, social relations, and philosophy. Elliott makes this case through three newly-written chapters and thirty-two previously published monographic essays.
Elliott has an impressive career. He began as a regional officer for the Arts Council of Britain in 1973 and has worked in various museums in Asia and Europe. He has also organized and directed regional-focused exhibitions and been the artistic director of two biennials. His expertise stems from his fifty years of direct contact with artists and artwork from Asia.