The human body is an enduring source of fascination for artists and viewers. Figurative artists working with the body as a primary subject in their practice draw our attention to a broad range of personal, social, political and cultural issues. Experts have observed that figurative painting is enjoying a significant resurgence at a time in which questions of identity and what it means to be human in the world are of clear concern. As these artists demonstrate, figurative painters are pushing the boundaries of representation in accomplished works of technical skill and highly individualised styles.

Curated by Melanie Cooper