The Revival of Painting: The 1980s

The 1960s and 1970s were witness to what has been termed the "dematerialization" of the art object. The Minimal and Conceptual movements of the time emphasized austere modes of expression, creating works based on economy of means and often focused more on the idea or the concept than the object itself. By contrast, the 1980s saw a return to the traditions of painting and sculpture. In the midst of this celebration of conservative values, a profusion of painterly styles emerged and flourished, represented in the exhibition by Miquel Barceló, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Georg Baselitz, Sandro Chia, Francesco Clemente, Enzo Cucchi, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, and Julian Schnabel.