Book Event: W. David Marx with Emily Sundberg at SJNY

Book Launch: W. David Marx presents Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century

In conversation with Emily Sundberg

W. David Marx, longtime culture writer and author of Status and Culture and Ametora, launches his new book Blank Space, a revealing exploration of a quarter century of cultural stagnation. Over the past twenty-five years, he argues, pop culture has suffered from a perplexing lack of reinvention. We’ve entered a cultural “blank space”— an era when reboots, rehashes, and fads flourish, while bold artistic experimentation struggles to gain recognition. In this ambitious cultural history, Marx guides us through the blur of the twenty-first century so far, from the Obama era to the rise of K-pop, from Paris Hilton to the Marvel cinematic universe, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to . . . Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. Combining sociological, economic, and political insights with a deep dive into art, street culture, fashion, and technology, Blank Space dissects the rise of profit-driven, formulaic trends and the shifting cultural norms that often prioritize going viral over innovation. Writer, director, and the founder of the daily business newsletter Feed Me Emily Sundberg joins Marx for a reading and conversation, before an audience Q&A and signing.