"Dana Schutz emerged in the early 2000s at a time when painting was slowly beginning to reclaim its central role in contemporary practice, following a decade defined by conceptual and visual experimentation. As if to reflect that moment in history, Schutzs early canvasses deployed a cinematic narrative strategy to focus on a fictional character created by the artist, Frank - one of the last two survivors in a dystopian world - combined with the interaction of the painter, who documents his existence. This proposition, coupled with the artists use of a varied visual language situated between abstraction and figuration, acts as an introduction to Schutzs universe - a place where allegorical and enigmatic scenarios, complex visual narratives and subjective experiences co-exist. Characterized by extraordinary composition and a bold and innovative use of color, Schutzs paintings tell us of emotions and psychological states of mind that, at closer examination, speak of the complexities, tensions and ambiguities of contemporary life."--book jacket.