Weak Painting After Modernism: Material Strategies 1968-1978

This book explores how painting in the United States negotiated with the legacy of American formalist aesthetics and the understanding of modernist painting it had become associated with. It identifies a type of weak painting that took as its critical point of departure the exhaustion of the project of modernism. The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, fine art, cultural studies, critical theory, curatorial studies, and philosophy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 122 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate negotiations between painting in the United States and the legacy of American formalist aesthetics, ultimately shaping the understanding of modernist painting it had become closely associated with. Through a philosophical lens, Gianni Vattimos concept of "pensiero debole," or weak thought, serves as a guiding framework for exploring the critical debates and practices that emerged in response. The proposed study aims to identify and examine a distinct type of weak painting, similar to Vattimos idea, which took as its central point of departure the exhaustion, yet not the vanishing, of the project of modernism. This project encompassed the belief in reason, progress, history, the nation-state, and other universal essences.

Within this exploration, Craig Staff delves into specific instances where artists sought to push the boundaries of the object, challenging the notion that modernist paintings were primarily perceived as denoting a perceived set of universal essences. By examining these instances, the book offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of painting and its relationship to the broader cultural and philosophical context.

This book appeals to scholars and researchers engaged in art history, fine art, cultural studies, critical theory, curatorial studies, and philosophy. Its multidisciplinary approach provides a rich tapestry of perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics that shaped the development of painting in the United States and its relationship to modernist aesthetics.

Weight: 400g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032059709