Figurative art is currently riding high. Contemporary works depicting the human form grace the walls of public institutions and commercial galleries alike. Champions of paint, such as Katherine Bernhardt and Adrian Ghenie; photographic artists, such as Gillian Wearing and Cindy Sherman; Charles Avery's drawings, Grayson Perry's tapestries and Kara Walker's silhouettes – these and many other artists from diverse backgrounds are working in a range of media to explore new ways to depict the human form. Charlotte Mullins explores the reasons behind this resurgence and considers what the figure means to the artists who depict it in their practice. Her accessible yet highly perceptive introduction includes works by 70 artists, all created in the past five years. These artists successfully employ the figure to help make sense of the mercurial, fast-paced and challenging world we live in.