PAINTING ABSTRAcTION

PAINTING ABSTRACTION
-- NEW ELEMENTS IN ABSTRACT PAINTING --
BY BOB NICKAS
MEGJELENÉS: 2009/2010
ÁRA: 19.415.- FT 
A Bob Nickas kurátor által összeállított kötet 80 kortárs alkotót mutat be, kurátori megfontolásait is érzékeltető tematikus blokkokban, színes reprodukciókkal és izgalmas kísérőszöveggel. // In recent years, abstract painting has developed a rich complexity that, now more than ever, rewards intensive viewing; this authoritative book guides the reader through the key issues in the field. Painting Abstraction profiles 80 of today’s most vital contemporary abstract painters, such as Mark Grotjahn and Amy Sillman, featuring large full-color reproductions of their work and incisive texts by author and curator Bob Nickas. The product of years of research and countless studio visits, Painting Abstraction is a major statement on the last five years of this exciting new wave of creativity in painting.

A review: This is by no means an exhaustive collection of contemporary abstract painting, but it is a much needed exploration of recent trends in painting which are increasingly driven toward abstraction. I like how the book is broken down into thematic chapters which provide a nice curatorial flow to the text. I could make the complaint that many of the artists are already known commodities; but actually the book features a nice blend of more established artists as well as emerging artists who may or may not become historically relevant. All in all it is refreshing to see a book devoted to presenting such a wide ranging view of the expansive universe of abstract painting.