The Painting of Modern Life re-examines what has been arguably the most influential development in the history of contemporary painting – the use and translation of photographic imagery.
Beginning with seminal photo-inspired works from the early 1960s by painters such as Gerhard Richter, Vija Celmins, Andy Warhol and Malcolm Morley, this book charts the international evolution of this trend over the past 45 years.
Featuring 22 artists whose work draws upon varied photographic sources – from amateur snapshots to news and magazine pictures – The Painting of Modern Life explores how the significance and content of an image changes dramatically when it is translated into a different medium.
Published on the occasion of the major exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, London, 4 October - 30 December 2007.