The book investigates the complex and often unsettling relationship between art and the concept of ruins. Brian Dillon, a writer and critic, explores how artists engage with decay, abandonment, and the remnants of human endeavor. The work examines various artistic mediums, including photography, painting, and sculpture, to understand how they represent and interpret the passage of time and the fragility of existence. It delves into the psychological and aesthetic dimensions of ruins, considering their power to evoke memory, loss, and the uncanny.

This book is part of the Whitechapel Documents of Contemporary Art series, which is known for its critical and scholarly approach to key themes in contemporary art. The series typically compiles essays, interviews, and critical texts, offering a comprehensive overview of its subject matter. As such, 'Ruins' is likely to be regarded as a significant contribution to the discourse on art and its engagement with themes of decay and ephemerality, appealing to academics, art students, and those interested in critical theory.