Art is able to communicate and transport the viewer to a different place in their mind's eye. The representation of places also connects the artist and viewer in a shared experience and understanding of space. The challenge for postmodern painters is to understand how an experienced place can be represented effectively. They must consider the objects and structures that occupy the place, as well as the purpose for the environment, the experience, and how that experience relates to self and others. With many contemporary artists utilizing installation and three-dimensional formats to create a dialog about place, two dimensional artists must consider stepping away from traditional formats and contrive alternative ways to represent place. Examination of contemporary two-dimensional works has shown the popularity of four distinct artistic elements that address place: linearity and mark making, process, associations, and altered perspective and representation