Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004). Blonde Vivienne (Filled In), 1985/1995. Alkyd oil on cut-out aluminum. 50 inches (127 cm) di...

Description

Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004)
Blonde Vivienne (Filled In), 1985/1995
Alkyd oil on cut-out aluminum
50 inches (127 cm) diameter
Signed and dated on the reverse: Wesselmann, 95

PROVENANCE:
Sidney Janis Gallery, New York;
Michael Lord Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
Private collection, Northern California.

EXHIBITED:
Gallery Camino Real, Boca Raton, Florida, "Tom Wesselmann," 1995.

NOTE:
Mr. Wesselmann started this work in 1985, but did not finish the piece until 1995. We would like to thank the Tom Wesselmann Estate for providing this information.

"I don't depict nudes from any sociological, cultural, or emotional intentions. My one intention is to always find new ways to make exciting paintings using the situation of the traditional nude." -Tom Wesselmann

In the early 1980s, Wesselmann became consumed by the idea of drawing in metal. He loved the concept of taking a small sketch and enlarging it on the wall while still capturing the expressive qualities of the line. At the time, there was no technology to accomplish this goal so he experimented with aluminum that could be cut by hand. After making a series of metal drawings in black and white, Wesselmann hand painted iconic works like Blonde Vivienne (Filled In) in his signature style and bold color palette. As he described, "When a nude was done in black it was forcefully, a drawing. When the same steel drawing was done in color, it became a nude more than a drawing. The subject matter, that is, became the more dominant element." Determined to push the limits of this medium even further, Wesselmann enlisted metal fabricators to invent laser-cutting technology to meet his needs. Wesselmann eventually researched and developed a new artistic medium. In a 1985 interview with New York Times he said, "I've just had the best year of my life.... I always work in a kind of near ecstasy, anyway, but there's really something about the new work that grabbed me." Wesselmann's metal drawings are considered one of the most successful technical innovations in the art world (For more information, visit http://tomwesselmannestate.org ).


More information about Tom Wesselmann. See also: Wesselmann, Tom, Wesselman, Tom Artist.



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