This companion volume for Season 5 of Art in the Twenty First Century mirrors the unique strengths of the Peabody Award-winning television series. This 224-page volume presents 14 contemporary artists at work and in their own words. The artists' reflections on their processes and inspirations are juxtaposed dynamically with lush, full-color images of their work. Artists profiled include John Baldessari, Cao Fei, Mary Heilmann, William Kentridge, Kimsooja, Jeff Koons, Florian Maier-Aichen, Paul McCarthy, Allan McCollum, Julie Mehretu, Doris Salcedo, Cindy Sherman, Yinka Shonibare MBE, and Carrie Mae Weems. Contemporary art speaks directly to the important questions of our time, as well as to the changing landscape of American identity. It is both a mirror of contemporary society and a window through which we view and deepen our understanding of life as it exists today. Who are today’s artists? What are they thinking about? How do they describe their work? Why do they do what they do? These are some of the questions addressed in this companion volume to the fifth season of the television series, which introduces fourteen artists who draw on a variety of subjects, experiences, and aesthetic influences to create their work. Images of the artists culled from documentary footage provide a behind-the-scenes look into the creative process. In a rich mosaic, the artists are depicted at home, in the studio, and in the community—with collaborators, friends, and family—debunking the Romantic notion of the artist as an isolated genius. Throughout this volume the artists' varied and engaging voices speak to us directly—musing, analyzing, and laughing about their lives, work, and inspiration.