After a long period of critcal neglect in which the cliched phrase ""painting is dead"" became an art-world mantra, painting seems to have returned with a vengence. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the medium is subject to many new museum surveys and publications and again the darling of the art market. This course will begin to explore the current state of painting by addressing some of the most pressing contemporary issues facing painters today. Centered around familiarizing students with current tendencies and practitioners, as well as some of the theoretical positions that inform their practice, this course will try to place these in the context of recent historical debates about the medium. The course will be reading and discussion intensive, and will be peppered with visiting artist talks and trips to local museums and galleries.