The essays collected in Contemporary Painting in Context examine the transformation and expansion of the field of painting over the last decades in relation to the more general lines of development in contemporary culture and visuality. The contributors pose questions, such as: How do paintings present themselves to us today? How are they "framed" experientially, institutionally, and culturally? In which way can paintings of today be said to reflect, and reflect upon, the historical transformations of culture, visuality, image production, and consumption? Is it possible to explain some of the changes and extensions of the field of painting by placing it in the wider context of cultural history or visual culture studies? The book is divided into five parts, with each pursuing a distinct line of inquiry: how to situate painting in a wider cultural context * how to rethink the question of the ontology of painting * how to define "painting" today by taking into consideration that the discipline has assimilated a wealth of new means of expression and materials * how to address the role of gender in painting * how to address the complex relationship between painting, art institutions, and the art market.