Through my own experience, I have found that contemporary painting is a discursive practice and an internal and external dialogue between myself, the painting, and the audience, whose function continually changes despite various attempts throughout history to define it (for example, as a representation, a commodity, or a statement). In support of this, I will discuss my understanding of contemporary painting in relation to scholar and critic, David Joselit’s essay, “Painting Beside Itself,” contributing editor to Frieze Maga-zine, Jan Verwoert’s recent lecture at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, as well as the work of contemporary painters such as Michael Krebber, and Mary Heilmann.

The work I have produced in conjunction to this paper is the result of treating painting as if it were an exercise in which I challenge myself to question some of the as-sumptions of contemporary painting and how it functions today. I do so by making “sports” themed paintings in which I borrow the aesthetics of sports, as well as consider painting beside sports; both being cultural activities meant to be viewed by an audience, yet have both specific and non-specific cultural functions and implications, which I have investigated as part of my studio practice.