Whether it is Marden or Mondrian, de Kooning or Degas, Neher teaches seeing. His insights into specific works and artists in general are exquisitely phrased and beautifully clear. For Neher, description is privileged over theory. Lastly, and perhaps paradoxically, Neher's book will positively affect Conceptual art. Since Neher does not see painting's success and Conceptual art's success as mutually exclusive, his account allows for Conceptual art to improve the foundation upon which it stands.
All media tend to encroach on one another's territory.
When one chooses to redefine itself, the others are forced to do the same. In many ways, Conceptual art has gotten sloppy by simply calling itself such whenever it chooses not to be painting. This has hurt Conceptual art as much as it has hurt painting. By defining and refining the medium of painting, Neher has called Conceptual art to the stand. It must explain why it has blindfolded the muse.