This book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Painting Paintings (David Reed) 1975 at Gagosian, New York, curated by Katy Siegel and Christopher Wool. It features early brushmark paintings by David Reed, first shown in 1975 at Susan Caldwell Gallery, New York, complemented by a presentation of work by artists who were similarly exploring the relationship between process and image-making in painting, sculpture, photography, and film, such as Barry Le Va, Joyce Pensato, and Sigmar Polke.

Along with installation images and plates from the 1975 exhibition, related paintings, performances, and film images appear throughout the book in the form of a visual essay. New texts by Richard Hell and Reed appear alongside reprints from the time, including the original exhibition text by Paul Auster. A conversation between Katy Siegel and artist Christopher Wool unfolds the significance and legacy of Reed’s early work.