Saturday 8 June 2013

Lichtenstein - A Tate Modern Retrospective

This Monday let us dive headlong into the week with some culture - if your'e a fan of 'Pop Art' - and look at the Lovely Lichtenstein - I went along to his retrospective at the Tate Modern on London's south bank.
Lichtenstein helped to reinvigorate abstract expressionism through his use of comic strips, advertising and well known imagery.  Unlike Andy Warhol Lichtenstein was deeply inspired by great artists, one of his biggest influences was Pablo Picasso.
<< Here in Frolic (1977) he was paying tribute to one of Picasso own paintings - au ballon de plage (1933)>> 



















He has somehow turned it into a sort of advert for the original painting - indeed, Lichtenstein himslef said he was trying to make a "Commercial Picasso" with Frolic.
Now enough of the amateur hour for Wikipedia on Shoe-Fiend - show us the ART Paula.
Step on can with leg - 1961
 I love this painting, it's so banal in its subject matter - and yet...
 << Still Life with glass and Peeled Lemon - 1972                                                      Tire 1962 >>
Lichtenstein was an unusual painter in that his reference was comic strips and magazine adverts as opposed to painting from scenery or sketches. So Tyre is not a painting of a tyre - but a painting of a picture of a tyre #genius.
Artist's Studio "Look Mickey" 1973
In this painting Lichtenstein revisits the painting that launched his career - "Look Mickey" from 1961 - he has cheekily hung it onto the wall of his living room subject matter.  This painting is HUGE in person - 243 X 325 Centimetres. 

The Exhibition is now closed but if you would like to read up about Lichtenstein and the retrospective all the information is still on the Tate Website which I left a link for :-D

Do you have a favourite artist?  Have you been to see any of their works in person? 
Have a great week everyone!

♥ Paula Shoe Fiend.



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