Beware Wet Paint: ICA

ICA London: what’s on? The ambitious group exhibition, Beware Wet Paint, brings painting back to life with the work of eight contributing artists

There are a lot of art shows around that talk about the death of painting. Either it has happened, or is happening, or is about to. But very few exhibitions seem interested in bringing it back to life. Beware Wet Paint looks to be a wonderful resuscitation.

This exhibition will consist of 8 artists in their early/mid careers, all of whose work uses painting as just one part of their artistic language, branching out into found objects, sculpture and installation. Featured is Christopher Wool, who shot to stardom in the 80s and 90s and whose canvases can now go for millions.

These artists aren’t painters, but few artists these days would call themselves a painter or a sculptor or a photographer. The idea is that they are artists, who occasionally express themselves through paint as well as other mediums. This idea of the artist as the centre and painting as one outlet puts painting into the hands of those who are, in Richard Prince’s description of himself, 'practicing without a license' – with all the associated danger and experimentation. The result is some pretty wild, free, exciting painting.

This joint venture between the Institute of Contemporary Arts London and the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin (where it will be on 29 October – 1 February), will undoubtedly show the old medium new tricks.