Painting is a continually expanding and evolving form of creative expression. The radical changes in the medium that took place in the 1960s and 70s - the period that saw the shift from a modernist to a postmodernist visual language - have led to painting's continued energy and diversity. Suzanne Hudson provides an intelligent and original survey of contemporary painting - a critical snapshot that brings together more than 200 artists from around the world who are defining the painterly ideas and aesthetics of our time. A contextual introduction maps out the history of painting in the modern and postmodern eras, followed by six chapters that explores the themes of appropriation, attitude, production and distribution, the body, painting about painting, and painters who introduce performance, installation and textiles into their work to critique painting itself. Compellingly argued and beautifully illustrated, Painting Now is an invaluable primer on the state of painting today.

Timeless Painting presents the work of 17 contemporary painters whose works reflect a singular approach that is peculiarly of our time: they are a-temporal, a term coined by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, the originators of the cyberpunk aesthetic. A-temporality or timelessness manifests itself in painting as an ahistoric free-for-all, where contemporaneity as an indicator of new form is nowhere to be found, and all eras co-exist. Published to accompany an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art that explores the impact of this cultural condition on contemporary painting, this publication features work by an international roster of artists including Joe Bradley, Kerstin Brätsch, Matt Connors, Nicole Eisenman, Mark Grotjahn, Charline von Heyl, , Julie Mehretu, Oscar Murillo, Laura Owens and Josh Smith, among others. An overview essay by curator Laura Hoptman is divided into thematic chapters that explore topics such as re-animation and reenactment, recontextualization, 'Zombie' painting, and the concomitant 'Frankenstein approach', which describes a process of stitching together pieces of the history of painting to create a work of art that would be dead but for its juxtaposed parts, all working in association with one another to propel the work into life.

Text by Jason C. Kuo.

'A beautiful, joyful book from cover to cover. Start Painting Now is packed full of brilliant and empowering creative advice that will compel you to shout from the rooftops I AM AN ARTIST. ' – Lorna Scobie, creator of the 365 Days of Art series Start Painting Now is an inspiring, practical, accessible guide to discovering your creative spirit, giving you brilliant new tools for relaxation and self-care. Renowned artist Emily Powell and her GP sister, doctor Sarah Moore, will guide you through the process of learning to ignore your inner critic and unwind from the stresses of daily life through painting. Whether you're returning to art after a long break or starting as a complete beginner, this book will motivate and encourage you to just pick up a brush and see where it takes you. Backed by the latest research on the benefits of art for mental health and wellbeing, Start Painting Now will empower you to put aside the fear of failure, turn off your phone and throw yourself into the joy of creativity. Complete with inspiring examples from a range of female artists and set alongside examples of Emily and Sarah’s own work, this book will give you all the tools you need to start painting now!

Alex Katz emerged on the New York scene in the 1950s during the heyday of Abstract Expressionism and just prior to the explosion of Pop Art, yet his unique aesthetic has always stood apart from other painters of his generation. Influenced by contemporary music, dance and poetry, he has long pursued his own idiosyncratic and decidedly modern form of realism. From his iconic portraits of family, friends, and artistic collaborators to his less well-known landscapes and city scenes, Katz's consummate technique and sensitivity for painterly surfaces unfolds in productive tension with the formal languages of film, fashion, and advertising. Exhibition: Museum Brandhorst, München, Germany (06.12.2018 - 22.04.2019).

"Many painters enjoy working outdoors when the weather is good (and they need to know how to deal with it when the weather changes)! This book includes the best instruction on the special challenges of painting landscapes outdoors from a variety of the best plein-air artists working today in all major media-oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic and gouache. - Materials, site selection and practical tips - Values, shapes, composition, color and elements of landscape painting - Bringing outdoor studies back into the studio - Complete start-to-finish demonstrations - Hundreds of gorgeous images"--