James Kalm responds to a gracious invitation from MoMA to attend the press preview of this timely exhibition. Like the coming of summer, or the swallows returning to Capistrano, the cycles in the art world have returned to focus on the practice of painting. Organized by Anne Umland, this show spotlights 50 works of art that are painting, or relate to, the question, "What is Painting?" and displays works from the museum's permanent collection. Ann Temkin, curator in the Department of Painting and Sculpture leads viewers through a brief walk-through and delivers an insightful explanation of the works. Artists represented include Philip Guston, Philip Pearlstein, Lee Lozano, A.R. Penck, George Baselitz, John Baldessari, Lynda Benglis, Lee Bontecou, Marcel Broodthaers, Chuck Close, John Currin, Anselm Kiefer, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, et al.