curated by_vienna: Why Painting Now?

The attention presently demanded by the medium of painting constitutes the driving motive behind the decision to explore its potent effects, as well as its conceptual and historical premises, in regard to its perception. The fifth edition of curated by_vienna, initiated by departure – The Creative Agency of the City of Vienna, has thus launched a discussion—under the title Why Painting Now?—that aims at a reflection of today’s discourse on painting. Twenty leading Vienna galleries focusing on contemporary art have conceptualized exhibitions, together with internationally renowned curators, which are documented in this publication. The theoretical fundament of this extraordinary collaborative project is taken up in the contribution by Eva Maria Stadler, who developed the basic curatorial concept for Why Painting Now? Also included in this volume are essays by art historians Carol Armstrong (Yale University) and Achim Hochdörfer (Museum Brandhorst, Munich), both published in German for the first time.