The Simple Truth

The idea of the monochrome – an unmodulated plane of a single colour that entirely covers a given surface - is a strange proposition for a painting, or any work of art. And yet its possibilities have preoccupied and beguiled artists for well over a century. Simon Morley’s book brilliantly explores the labyrinthine complexities of this apparently simple form of abstract painting and in the process invites us to visit numerous types of art, made for wildly different purposes, in dozens of different places, and at many different times. * David Batchelor, artist *
An indispensable introduction to the intriguing material, optical and philosophical challenges posed by the monochrome. Simon Morley writes with such tact and insight that anyone interested in the contemporary practice of painting, whether expert or novice, will find the book a delight. * Malcolm Bull, Professor of Art and the History of Ideas, University of Oxford *