Among collectors and museumgoers, painting is more popular than ever, and while much of the attention in recent years has focused on figuration, abstraction has been a site for free experimentation, developing a rich complexity that more than ever rewards careful viewing. "Painting Abstraction" is the world's only up-to-the-minute guide to contemporary abstract painting. Beginning with a 4,000-word introduction that puts the subject in historical context, curator Bob Nickas introduces the reader to the key issues in contemporary abstraction. He then profiles the 80 most vital contemporary painters in six chapters. Each artist's work is illustrated in lavish full-colour images and accompanied by a text that leads the reader through the paintings in language that is both accessible and illuminating. The product of extensive new research and hundreds of studio visits with artists around the world, Nickas' text brings out the key details and distinctions in their work, creating a vivid picture of a field awash in creative innovation. "Painting Abstraction" is an essential reference tool for curators, critics, artists and collectors, and a major statement on the future of painting from one of contemporary art's most respected curators.