Celebrating 28 years of inventive work by New York-based artist Philip Taaffe, The Life of Forms presents more than 80 paintings and dozens of works on paper, all organized into distinct periods in specially designed galleries. Taaffe uses a variety of printing and transfer techniques to make pieces that reference art history while remaining au courant. Yellow Painting (1984), a masterpiece of appropriation art, uses linocut collage on painted canvas to riff on a classic Bridget Riley op-art painting. Works from the late '80s to the present, such as Semara (2002), are more layered, and reflect Taaffe's interest in the cultures of the Middle East, India, South America, and Morocco, as well as his studies of antiquities and natural forms. The exhibition concludes with a group of recent paintings and a Wunderkammer (miracle chamber) filled from floor to ceiling with monotypes of the artist’s favorite motifs.

-Paul Laster

A comprehensive exhibition catalogue featuring images, essays, and interviews is available from Hatje Cantz.