Sigmar Polke, Alchimist

Book excerpt: This modest catalogue provides an excellent introduction to and survey of the paintings of Sigmar Polke, one of the most significant artists of the last 50 years. Since the 1960s, Polke has been making paintings of a deeply ironic nature, works that make fun of the tropes that have dominated the world of modern art. As such, he has situated himself as something of a participant-critic in the dialogue concerning the relevance of painting in recent decades, and has made one of the strongest cases imaginable for its continuing relevance. With 50 color reproductions of important works from all periods of his career, as well as texts by the curators of both the Louisiana Museum in Denmark and the Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo, Norway, Sigmar Polke: Alchemist is a welcome addition to the Polke literature.