Mark Francis - Tapa dura

Mark Francis (b.1962, Northern Ireland) has played a key role in the exploration of the essential nature of painting. Primarily an abstract painter, Francis often draws upon that which is unseen by the naked eye, while pushing the boundaries of the painted surface. This monumental monograph spans the artist's entire career to date, from his early landscapes to his current abstractions as well as considering the varied influences and sources of inspiration throughout his practice. This chronological survey also illustrates Francis' habit of revisiting the ideas of his earlier works and taking them in new directions. In his essay 'Making the (In)Visible', Richard Dyer discusses the evolution of Francis' style. While examining various stages in the artist's work, Dyer also places the painter within the history of art. Dyer describes Francis' unique brushing techniques and his ability to create works that are simultaneously intimate and monumental. In 'Beneath the Earth and Beyond the Stars', Mark Francis and James Peto discuss the artist's painting techniques, his peculiar collections and personal interests. Covering topics from the origin of the paintings' names to the influence of fungal growth and astronomy maps, their conversation offers a special insight into the artist's mind. Francis McKee explores a critical collaborative project by Francis and artist Nicky Hirst at Kings College Hospital. Placed appropriately within the chronology of the paintings, this essay provides a new context for the work while focusing upon this particular moment in the artist's practice. This beautifully illustrated book includes over 200 colour plates celebrating the career of Mark Francis.

Richard Dyer is News Editor and London Correspondent of Contemporary magazine; Assistant Editor at Third Text: Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Art and Culture; and Art Editor of Wasafiri, the magazine of international contemporary writing. James Peto is the Head Curator of Temporary Exhibitions at the Wellcome Collection, London. He has held previous curatorial positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and at the Design Museum, Science Museum, and the Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. Francis McKee is the Interim Director of the Centre for Contemporary Arts and the Director of Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art.