Lichtenstein in Process

At the Katonah Museum of Art

By: Adam Zucker - Jun 08, 2009

Drawing for Reclining Nude I, Aurora, Graphite and marker on tracing film sheet, 22.75x20.75", 1997

Drawing for Still Life with Reclining Nude, Graphite and colored pencils on paper, 8.75x12", 1997

Collage for Still Life with Reclining Nude, Painted and printed paper on board, 36.5x52", 1997

Collage for Two Paintings: Dagwood, Tape, black marker, painted and printed paper on board, 51x36", 1983

Collage for Art Critic, Tape, painted and printed paper on board, 19.75x13.25", 1994

 

Inspiration, subject matter and process are key elements in a work of art. These elements are the focal point of a major exhibition "Lichtenstein in Process" that originated in Europe and is having its American debut at the Katonah Museum of Art in Westchester, New York through June 26. This is an exhibition that reveals the many complex steps involved in creating his renowned Pop art paintings and prints.

The Katonah Museum of Art's exhibition planner, Michael Prudhom,  has beautifully installed the exhibition, which clearly outlines Lichtenstein's vision from start to finish. Roy Lichtenstein's canvases look effortless. They are so clean and precise that they seem like there were made by a machine. The road to the finished piece however, is far more complex than one might imagine.

To say that Lichtenstein was a hard worker is an understatement. While he had assistants later on, he left only the most mechanical tasks for them. The most demanding and complex work was solely reserved for Lichtenstein himself.

He filled many sketchbooks. A highlight of the exhibition was the inclusion of  many preliminary sketches for a single painting. He would develop a general idea that usually came from multiple sources including cartoon iconography and art history.

Lichtenstein was a committed appropriator and his work in this exhibition borrows from Picasso, Van Gogh, Hergé, Matisse, and Monet. Each of these influences are transformed and arranged into a uniquely Lichtenstein-esque composition. First are the bare bone sketches, and then he would make a large colored paper collage where he would add those signature Benday Dots. From this point he would transform the collages into finished paintings on canvas.

The exhibition is chronological from the 1970s to the 1990s. In the two galleries the works are hung in succession reflecting the artist's progression. By hanging the sketches and collages together in a chronological arrangement we come to understand the artist's complete methodology. In the end we are left with "Interior with Nude Leaving" (1997) one of his final canvases, thus resolving the multi layered process.

I left the exhibition feeling complete; my mind had caught up with one of the greatest painters of the twentieth century. I will never look at a Lichtenstein painting the same way. This exhibition is sure to leave you with a deeper appreciation for the artist's dedication and ingenuity. 

The Roy Lichtenstein Foundation in New York, and the Fundación Juan March in Madrid conceived the idea and it premiered at the Museo de Arte Abstracto Espanol, Cuenca, and Museu d'Art Espanyol Contemporani, Palma de Mallorca from 2005-06. In 2007 the exhibition had gone to the Fundación Juan March in Madrid and La Pinacothèque de Paris. After the Katonah segment at the end of this month, the work will  travel to Nashville's Dixon Gallery and Gardens. This show is a gem.