From January 2005, the Saatchi Gallery will hold a landmark exhibition in three parts, lasting the whole year, devoted entirely to painting. The title refers to the primacy of painting at the root of artistic expression. The exhibition will open with the work of five of the greatest modern European painters: Peter Doig, Marlene Dumas, Luc Tuymans, Jorg Immendorf and the late Martin Kippenberger. The Belgian painter, Tuymans, has been the subject of a major exhibition at Tate Modern in 2004. These painters are regarded as the most influential figures at this time. Their work will fill the entire gallery. They will be followed by a show of a new generation of painters including a number of British artists such as Cecily Brown, Jenny Saville, Gary Hume, Chris Ofili and Dexter Dalwood. The final part of the show will be held in the latter part of 2005 and will consist entirely of the work of new young painters. Following the success of 100, which was published for the opening of the Saatchi Gallery last year, The Triumph of Painting, which comes in a much larger format, should stand as the definitive book of current art with resonance beyond the walls of the gallery itself.
This project will mark the return of the Saatchi Gallery into focus following the tragic loss of key works in the Saatchi collection in the fire of last year.