The exhibition includes paintings by five artists whose work is devoted to issues of abstraction. The show brings to light the popularity of abstract painting among artists at a time when figurative and representational art have become so prevalent.

Chris Martin, one of the artists in the exhibition, articulated this paradox in a recent article: "Abstraction no longer exists as a movement and no longer leads any avant-garde. The distinctions between abstraction and other art have become increasingly meaningless. Abstract painting is dead. That's why it has become so interesting again."* The Mitchell-Innes & Nash exhibition presents diverse approaches to abstract painting and includes works by the following five artists:

• Phillip Allen - Allen is represented by The Approach Gallery (London); his solo shows include Kerlin gallery, Dublin in 2005 and P.S.1 in Long Island City, New York, in 2003.

• Alison Fox - A 2005 MFA graduate from Hunter College, Fox had her first solo shows last year at ATM gallery in New York and at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in Los Angeles.

• Alex Kwartler - Represented by John Connelly Presents, Kwartler was included in last year's The Painted World, at P.S.1 in Long Island City, New York.

• Chris Martin - A former performance artist, Martin recently had a solo show at Sideshow in Brooklyn. Included last year in The Painted World, at P.S.1 in Long Island City, New York and a group show at Feature Inc., Martin is represented by Daniel Weinberg gallery, in Los Angeles.

• Rebecca Morris - Represented by Galerie Barbara Weiss (Berlin); the Renaissance Society in Chicago presented a ten-year retrospective of Morris's work in 2005.