Benschop, Why Paintings Work

In Why Paintings Work, writer and curator Jurriaan Benschop navigates the diverse landscape of contemporary painting. He introduces the work of dozens of painters, discusses the themes that can be found in their work and keeps asking the question: Why does this painting work? In what ways does it speak to the viewer? He considers both the visible aspects of painting —such as the depicted motif and the application of paint— and the concepts, beliefs and motivations that underlie the canvas. Why...