John Armleder in “The Indiscipline of Painting” at the Tate Gallery, St. Ives

The Indiscipline of Painting: International abstraction from the 1960s to now

Tate Gallery, St Ives, England

About the exhibition

The Indiscipline of Painting is an international group exhibition including works by forty-nine artists from the 1960s to now. Selected by British painter Daniel Sturgis, it considers how the languages of abstraction have remained urgent, relevant and critical as they have been revisited and reinvented by subsequent generations of artists over the last 50 years. It goes on to demonstrate the way in which the history and legacy of abstract painting continues to inspire artists working today.

The contemporary position of abstract painting is problematic. It can be seen to be synonymous with a modernist moment that has long since passed, and an ideology which led the medium to stagnate in self-reflexivity and ideas of historical progression. The Indiscipline of Painting challenges such assumptions. It reveals how painting’s modernist histories, languages and positions have continued to provoke ongoing dialogues with contemporary practitioners, even as painting’s decline and death has been routinely and erroneously declared.

The show brings together works by British, American and European artists made over the last five decades and features major new commissions and loans. It includes important works by Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Gerhard Richter and Bridget Riley alongside other lesser known artists such as Tomma Abts, Martin Barré, Mary Heilmann and Jeremy Moon.

The Indiscipline of Painting is a collaborative project between Tate St Ives and Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre. The exhibition travels to the Mead Gallery and opens on the 14 January 2012, running until 10 March 2012.

As part of The Indiscipline of Painting, Newlyn Art Gallery has commissioned John M. Armleder to make a major new work. John M. Armleder is at Newlyn Art Gallery 8 October 2011 – 3 January 2012.

The Indiscipline of Painting includes works from the following 49 artists:

Tomma Abts (b.1967); John M. Armleder (b.1948) ; Tauba Auerbach (b.1981); Martin Barré (1924 – 1993); Francis Baudevin (b.1964); Daniel Buren (b.1938); André Cadere (1934‑1978); Ingrid Calame (b.1965); Keith Coventry (b.1958); Michael Craig‑Martin (b.1941); Karin Davie (b.1965); Peter Davies (b.1970); Gene Davis (1920‑1985); David Diao (b.1943); Moira Dryer (1957 – 1992); Bernard Frize (b.1949); Michelle Grabner (b.1962); Tim Head (b.1946); Alex Hubbard (b.1975); Katharina Grosse (b.1961); Peter Halley (b.1953); Jane Harris (b.1956); Mary Heilmann (b.1940); Jacob Kassay (b.1984); Richard Kirwan (b.1969); Imi Knoebel (b.1940); Bob Law (1934‑2004); Sherrie Levine (b.1947); Jeremy Moon (1934‑1973); Olivier Mosset (b.1944); Carl Ostendarp (b.1961); Blinky Palermo (1943‑1977); Steven Parrino (1958-2005); David Reed (b.1946); Gerhard Richter (b.1932); Bridget Riley (b.1931); Ruth Root (b.1967); Robert Ryman (b.1930); Sean Scully (b.1945); Frank Stella (b.1936); Myron Stout (1908-1987); Daniel Sturgis (b.1966); Cheyney Thompson (b.1975); Niele Toroni (b.1937); Richard Tuttle (b.1941); Dan Walsh (b.1960); Andy Warhol (1928‑1987); Peter Young (b.1940); Heimo Zobernig (b.1958).

The exhibition has been selected by British artist Daniel Sturgis, and curated with Martin Clark, Artistic Director, Tate St Ives and Sarah Shalgosky, Curator, University of Warwick.