Suzanne Hudson Livres

Painting is a continually expanding and evolving medium. The radical changes that have taken place since the 1960s and 1970s -- the period that saw the shift from a modernist to a postmodernist visual language -- have led to its reinvigoration as a practice, lending it an energy and diversity that persist today. Renowned critic and art historian Suzanne Hudson offers an intelligent and original survey of the subject: a rigorous critical snapshot that brings together more than 250 renowned artists from around the world, whose ideas and aesthetics characterize the painting of our time. These luminaries include Cecily Brown, Theaster Gates, Josh Smith, Jenny Saville, Julie Mehretu, Takashi Murakami, Gabriel Orozco, Christina Quarles, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Zhang Xiaogang and many others. Organized into seven thematic chapters exploring aspects of contemporary painting, this is an essential volume for art history enthusiasts, students, critics and practitioners

This is the first monograph to offer a comprehensive account of the work of Californian artist Mary Weatherford (born 1963), beginning in the mid-1980s and extending to the present. Weatherford was a student of pioneering twentieth-century art historian Sam Hunter at Princeton. Her broadly literate and visually arresting paintings address the legacies of American modernists from Arthur Dove and Agnes Pelton to Willem de Kooning and Morris Louis, while grappling with the politics of gender, the representation of specific moods and experiences, and other concerns squarely rooted in the present moment. From her early monumental targets, through canvases studded with real shells and starfish, as well as more abstract evocations of landscape inspired by caves, to her recent neon-appended panels whose atmospheres of rolling color foreground the painting process itself, Weatherford’s works argue forcibly and convincingly for the engagement of painting with contemporary life. Suzanne Hudson’s text, the fruit of many studio visits and long interviews, reveals a singularly inventive artist whose boundless facility for reinvention will compel any viewer, student, or critic of painting.

Set in the enchanting Thimbleberry Island, this story follows Pug, a charming dog who delights in summer adventures. As families flock to the island to relish its stunning Pacific Northwest scenery, Pug enjoys snacking, playing on the beach, and exploring the vibrant surroundings with his family. The narrative captures the essence of summer fun and the bond between pets and their owners in a whimsical, picturesque setting.

Katherine Bernhardt's latest paintings explore American pop culture, featuring playful motifs like Pokémon and Crocs, infused with vibrant colors and dynamic lines. Her work merges humor with the allure of paint, reflecting a keen interest in the interplay of art, objects, and commerce. This catalogue, expanding on her 2022 exhibition, showcases her monumental pieces alongside bonus works on paper. An essay by Suzanne Hudson offers an art historical perspective, examining the connections between Bernhardt's art and her life, all within a spacious format that enhances her creative expression.

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 paintings 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.