In Critical Condition, Eleanor Heartney examines the art world from 1985 to 1994, a tumultuous period that ushered in the art boom and bust, the emergence (and in some cases disappearance) of developments like Appropriation, Neo-Geo, and multiculturalism, and the ongoing attack on art by the religious Right and political conservatives. Chronicling events that took place during this decade, with a particular focus on public art, Heartney also examines the mechanisms of the gallery and media system, especially as they relate to the practice of art criticism, as well as the complexities of the debate on art and pornography. Written during a pivotal period of contemporary art, Heartney's essays provide a picture of a culture in a crisis of values that has yet to be resolved.