Tunnels and sculptures made from human hair; photos of rats running through drains, sharks in formaldehyde - is this what art is about today? This is a controversial and fascinating attempt to define what is 'contemporary' about contemporary art, and the dramatic changes that have taken place in the last twenty years. Stallabrass reveals the growing inclusiveness of the contemporary art world, pointing to the greatly increased visibility for women and non-western artists, and the blurring of boundaries between art and other areas of culture. Does this modernization threaten to undermine the world of art as we know it, or is this just another example of a global market demanding a certain product? And where are the artists in all this?