Monochrome ― Darkness and Light in Contemporary Art

The monochrome–a single color of paint applied over the entirety of a canvas–remains one of the most contentious modernist artistic inventions. But while the manufacture of these “pictures of nothing” was ostensibly straightforward, their subsequent theorization has been anything but. The monochrome is commonly associated with early twentieth century avant-garde painters such as Kazimir Malevich– who pioneered the form with his “Black Square” in 1915–and, later, Abstract Expressionists such as Mark Rothko. But monochrome art holds equal attraction for artists today. More than a history, this book is the first account of the monochrome’s lively role in contemporary art. Provocative, innovative and timely, it argues that the latest artistic engagements with the monochrome go beyond stylistic concerns and tap into discourses of radicalism. Discussing works by artists such as Kim Beom, Martin Creed, Tom Friedman, Bruno Jakob, Sherrie Levine, Karin Sander and Sara Sizer, this book shows that debate and conflict around the monochrome is very much alive in contemporary visual culture.

Craig Staff is Senior Lecturer in Painting at the University of Northampton.