How to Look at a Painting (2011 - 2011)

Through the ages, artists have had a love affair with the body. But now that painting no longer has the naked body to itself, can painting still get under our skin?

Landscape painting has the power to capture not only how the scenery looks but also how a place feels. By zeroing in on New Zealand landscapes, Paton shows how artists can paint what we don't see at first.

Drawing inspiration from the painted past, today's artists can give a fresh lease on life to old works. In the process, they are bridging the gap between the new and the old-in this episode, between New Zealand and old Venice.

When it comes to portraits, how can paint compete with pixels? Are painted portraits worth looking at in our digital age? Find out how they can look back in time, at the wider culture, and at us.

What happened to religious art when it came down from the walls of churches and began a new life on gallery walls? We go in search of the answers.

Guiding viewers through the seemingly ‘nothing’ world of abstract art, Justin teaches viewers that paintings which look like nothing at all, always have something to say.

Artists, like many of us, are troubled by the issues of the world. Can painting, this seemingly silent medium, get to grips with the world outside and make a difference?

Justin blows a hole in the myth that paintings are canvases contained within a frame, hanging on walls. Painting has flopped right off the walls and begun to flirt with other art forms.

For many, visiting galleries and museums can be daunting – all that noise, all those visitors, not enough time. How do we find that intimate moment with a painting in a public space?

Justin explores the world of the art dealer and the people who buy. How fat does your wallet need to be, and is it ok to say “I’m just looking!”

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