Middlesex University’s Professor Rebecca Fortnum launched the Journal of Contemporary Painting (JCP) at a packed event at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Central London recently.

The Journal is aimed at a broad readership encompassing academics, critics, writers, artists, curators and the gallery-going public. It combines peer-reviewed scholarship, particularly that emerging from practice-based research. Research essays complement reviews and interviews that are responsive to current debates in painting and related art practices nationally and internationally. The JCP responds to the territory and practice of contemporary painting in its broadest sense, treating painting as a context for discussion and exploring its sphere of influence, rather than defining it as a medium specific debate. The Journal combines a thematic approach with an open call, with each issue opening up and problematizing different facets of contemporary painting.

The Journal’s Founding Editor is Professor Fortnum who with Associate Editors Professor Beth Harland, Lancaster University, Daniel Sturgis, University of the Arts London and Michael Finch, University of the Arts London forms the editorial board.

“My colleagues and I perceived a need for a forum in which to discuss and publish contemporary painting research” said Professor Fortnum.
“As academics we were involved in creating debate and supervising practice-based research, but we realised there was no publication dealing specifically with this important area of the visual arts.” A launch event coincided with a debate which addressed the complex relationship between painting and cinema, the theme for the first issue of the Journal.

“I’m really pleased with the capacity audience for the launch. We have representatives from a wide range of expertise both from the UK and other parts of the world. The panel members Lydia Dona, Dan Hayes, Kaye Donachie and Mario Rossi are highly respected artists and opened up a fascinating discussion around the influence of Cinema on their painting practices,” continued Professor Fortnum.