The Following Aesthetic Reasons

From February to May of this year, the Tate Britain held a major retrospective of the work of Scottish painter Peter Doig. The Paris Museum of Modern Art did too, from June to September. Given that his paintings are sold as some of the most expensive in Europe, it is fair to say that he is a well-recognized contemporary. His spendidly layered landscapes reference a whole host of artistic ancestors, Monet and Klimpt for sure. So Doig's paintings seem to be as familiar as a fairy tale and just as old, but there is an unexpected and provocative tilt which appeals to the modern in us. I am finding these paintings inspiring right now, because each painting is a story in itself...