2008-10-15 From photograph to painting

This book is the catalogue for a 2007 exhibition that was held at the Hayward Gallery in London. Whereas the actual topic of the show was to study the relationship of the photograph as a source material to the painting, the book is a good survey of contemporary figurative painting, bringing together such international artists as the inescapable Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, David Hockney, Vija Celmins, Luc Tuymans, Elizabeth Peyton, Marlene Dumas, to name just a few.

The book starts with several essays tackling such problems as the study of modern life through painting, the photographically-based painting, or how artists reappropriate photographs to create a new form of imagery. Following these introductory essays comes a succession of works by some 22 artists, each one being represented with four or five works, very well illustrated.

On the whole, a valuable publication that serves as a good reminder of a high-quality exhibition. Why not five stars then? Because one may wonder if the artists represented will all stand the test of time...