Six seasoned writers and authorities on contemporary art come together in this book to explore and celebrate the work of five modern artists. Unique Act accompanies an exhibition at Dublin City Gallery the Hugh Lane and also makes a major contribution to the place of abstract painting in the art-historical annals. David Carrier's introduction traces a history of abstraction which sets the scene for the birth of these artists. He describes the theoretical development in modern art and then offers examples of its practice in these painters' work. He draws out the links between French Impressionists and the art reproduced in this book, comparing Frederic Thursz with Monet and Carmengloria Morales with Manet. Frederic Thursz became a legendary figure in the 1970s and 1980s, holding exhibitions in Europe and America. Sean Scully is considered to be the leading abstract artist of his generation. Carmengloria Morales works on shapes that echo the Old Masters: tondo and diptych. Seán Shanahan and Ruth Root challenge many of the accepted norms of older abstraction. The essay contributors in Unique Act acknowledge the singular nature of each artist but reveal them to be united by the common thread of the abstract practice. This is a book which offers a theory of abstraction as a tradition and demonstrates the significant roles of these artists in constructing a canon for this movement.