"This book is a tour de force by one of the foremost scholars of abstract art. Delving into a fascinating array of scientific and philosophical sources, Brandon Taylor invites us to think afresh about modern art's enduring preoccupation with dynamic processes and the becoming of forms. Across a broad range of compelling analyses, he unearths little-known gems and sheds valuable new light on canonical examples. Like the artworks that it brings into sharp focus, the argument teems with vital energy." --Eric Robertson, Professor of Modern French Literary and Visual Culture, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

"Brandon Taylor's remarkable study of the pervasive impact of vitalist concepts of "aesthetic monism" on the interwar avant-garde is an important and timely contribution that greatly enriches our understanding of the art and culture of this complex era." --Mark Antliff, Anne Murnick Cogan Distinguished Professor of Art and Art History, Duke University, USA