Richard Anuszkiewicz (1930-2020). Luminous, 1965. Acrylic on Masonite. 23-3/4 x 23-3/4 inches (60.3 x 60.3 cm). Signed, ... (Total: 3 Items)

Description

Richard Anuszkiewicz (1930-2020)
Luminous, 1965
Acrylic on Masonite
23-3/4 x 23-3/4 inches (60.3 x 60.3 cm)
Signed, dated, and inscribed on the reverse: © Richard Anuszkiewicz / 1965

Property from a Distinguished California Collection

PROVENANCE:
Sidney Janis Gallery, New York;
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Hirsch, Los Angeles, California, by 1977;
Christie's, New York, November 9, 1983, lot 153;
Charles Foley Gallery, Columbus, Ohio;
The artist;
Acquired by the present owner from the above, 2004.

EXHIBITED:
Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, "New Paintings by Anuszkiewicz," November 3-27, 1965, no. 22;
Richard Green Gallery, New York, "4 Decades: Anuszkiewicz," March 16-April 16, 1988;
Galleria Sagittaria, Centro Iniziative Culturali, Pordenone, Italy, "Richard Anuszkiewicz - Opere 1961-1987," April-May, 1988;
Lafayette College Art Galleries, Easton, Pennsylvania, "Richard Anuszkiewicz: Painting and Sculpture, 1951-1994," October 9-November 20, 1996;
Josef Albers Museum, Bottrop, Germany (and elsewhere), "Richard Anuszkiewicz - Paintings and Painted Constructions: A Retrospective Survey, 1954-1994," February 2, 1997-September 20, 1998;
Boca Raton Museum of Art, Boca Raton, Florida, "Richard Anuszkiewicz Retrospective," November 19, 1998-January 10, 1999;
David Findlay Jr. Fine Art, New York, "Richard Anuszkiewicz: A Survey," January 8-27, 2005;
Lamont Gallery, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, "Works by Richard Anuszkiewicz," June 28-July 27, 2005;
Florence, Italy, "Biennale Internazionale dell'Arte Contemporanea di Firenze," December 3-11, 2005;
Columbus Art Museum, Columbus, Ohio, "Optic Nerve: Perceptual Art of the 1960s," February 16-June 17, 2007.

LITERATURE:
"What's His Line?," The Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine, Cleveland, Ohio, 1965, pp. 22-23, illustrated;
Sidney Janis Gallery, New Paintings by Anuszkiewicz, exhibition catalogue, New York, 1965, n.p., illustrated in black and white;
K. Lunde, Anuszkiewicz, New York, 1977, pp. 74-75, fig. 49, illustrated in black and white;
Richard Green Gallery, 4 Decades: Anuszkiewicz, exhibition catalogue, New York, 1988, n.p., illustrated in color;
E. Lucie-Smith, Art Now, Secaucus, New Jersey, 1989, p. 299, fig. 235, illustrated on cover;
Lafayette College Art Galleries, Richard Anuszkiewicz: Painting and Sculpture, 1951-1994, exhibition catalogue, Easton, Pennsylvania, 1996, p. 2, illustrated in color;
T. Buchsteiner & I. Mössinger, eds., Anuszkiewicz OpArt, exhibition catalogue, Ostfildern, 1997-1998, p. 44, illustrated in color;
Boca Raton Museum of Art, Richard Anuszkiewicz Retrospective, exhibition catalogue, Boca Raton, Florida, 1999, p. 5, illustrated on cover;
K. Ruhrberg, K. Honnef, et al., Art of the 20th Century, Vol. I, Los Angeles, California, 2000, pp. 346-347, illustrated in color;
David Findlay Jr. Fine Art, Richard Anuszkiewicz: A Survey, exhibition catalogue, New York, 2005, n.p., illustrated in color;
J. Houston, Optic Nerve: Perceptual Art of the 1960s, exhibition catalogue, London and Columbus, Ohio, 2007, p. 65, fig. 78, illustrated in color;
D. Madden & N. Spike, Anuszkiewicz Paintings & Sculptures 1945-2001 Catalogue Raisonné, Florence, 2010, pp. 141-142, no. 1965.15, illustrated in color.

NOTE:
This lot is accompanied by hardcover copies of Art Now (1989) and Optic Nerve: Perceptual Art of the 1960s (2007).

Richard Anuszkiewicz, a pioneering American artist, born on May 23, 1930, in Erie, Pennsylvania, revolutionized the art world with his Op Art creations. He passed away on May 19, 2020, at his Englewood, New Jersey home, just days before his 90th birthday.

Anuszkiewicz's career was marked by a relentless exploration of how fundamental art elements could manipulate perception. He delved into color experiments, crafting geometric paintings that seemed to vibrate with radiant light. His compositions, though hard-edged, exuded a spiritual quality through their repetition of shapes and lines and harmonious color interplay.

At the forefront of the Op Art movement, Anuszkiewicz's work predated the very term "Op Art." n 1957, he moved to New York City, initially facing rejections from galleries. However, in 1959, his first solo show at the Contemporaries gallery marked a turning point. Museum of Modern Art's founding director, Alfred H. Barr Jr., purchased two of his paintings, propelling him into the art world spotlight. His participation in the landmark 1965 Museum of Modern Art exhibition, "The Responsive Eye," solidified his status as a leading figure in this groundbreaking movement.

Anuszkiewicz's artistic process was more conceptual than technical, rooted in mathematical ideas and manifesting results through his work. His deep understanding of color, learned under Josef Albers at Yale, became central to his artistic journey.

Beyond painting, he explored sculpture and continued to exhibit globally, receiving accolades such as the Lee Krasner Award in 2000. His art, timeless and captivating, continues to inspire generations, securing his place as a revered figure in contemporary art.


More information about Anuszkiewicz, Richard Joseph. See also: Anuskiewicz, Richard, Anuszkiewicz, Richard, Richard Joseph Anuszkiewicz Artist.

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