Oranges and Sardines: Conversations on Abstract Painting

For Oranges and Sardines, curated by Gary Garrels of Los Angeles' Hammer Museum, six contemporary abstract painters--Mark Grotjahn, Wade Guyton, Mary Heilmann, Amy Sillman, Charline von Heyl and Christopher Wool--present a recent painting alongside the work of other artists who have impacted their work. The conceit is clever, considering that artists are often an invaluable source of information on other artists. The result is a constellation of diverse works by the aforementioned six painters and their influences, who include Paul Klee, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Francis Bacon, David Hockney, Willem de Kooning, Philip Guston, Eva Hesse, Pablo Picasso and Dieter Roth. This well-illustrated volume examines--through the eyes and minds of artists--how art can illuminate art. Featuring sharp design by Los Angeles-based Green Dragon Office, it includes in-depth interviews between Garrels and each of the six featured contemporary artists.