The Arts: Roy Lichtenstein
Photo courtesy of Flickr, uploaded by iggy.starbucks.
Artists see things differently than you and I. It may seem that capturing a realistic scene on canvas is the ultimate accomplishment, but the art community would never accept that effort as great art.
Roy Lichtenstein looked at the world around him and saw art in places others overlooked. His earliest works were experiments in cubism and expressionism, but he always had an interest in advertising and modern culture. It was while he was on the faculty of Rutgers University in New Jersey that he first started producing Pop paintings using cartoon images. He appropriated the use of Benday dots from printing technology and incorporated them into his art.
Photo courtesy of Flickr, uploaded by Carol Luz.
Lichtenstein went from near anonymity when he produced his first comic book-influenced painting in 1961, to worldwide fame by the time he moved to other styles in 1965. Along with Andy Warhol, Lichtenstein produced some of the best-known examples of Pop Art. Though the style peaked in the 1950s and 60s, its connection to consumerism still influences the art world.
The next time you’re in New York (on your way to Patsy’s for pizza?), stop by the Museum of Modern Art and get a close-up look at these Pop masterpieces. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding them – MOMA has more than 60 Liechtenstein paintings in its collection.