Lot 3459 - A201 PostWar & Contemporary - jeudi, 30. juin 2022, 17h00
JOHN WESLEY
(Los Angeles 1928–2022 New York City)
July 7. 1983.
Gouache on paper.
Signed, dated and titled lower left: John Wesley JULY 7, 1983.
75 × 107.6 cm.
Provenance:
- Jessica Fredericks Gallery, New York.
- Purchased from the above in 1997 by the present owner, since then private collection Switzerland.
John Wesley was one of the exponents of American Pop Art, but developed his own independent style.
Born in Los Angeles in 1928, Wesley attended Los Angeles City College and the University of California between 1946 and 1950. After numerous casual jobs, in 1960 Wesley decided to devote himself exclusively to painting. In his early paintings he used imaginary stamps and seals, until he switched to a pictorial language inspired by comic strips. Unlike comic strips, however, his colour palette is limited to 3-4 colours, and the flat painting style, despite its figurative nature, is more reminiscent of minimalist compositions and manga comics. He also never used the comics as a real model like Roy Lichtenstein, for example. In his works, Wesley dealt sometimes humorously with everyday life, especially life in the USA. In 1972 John Wesley was one of the participants in documenta 5. In 1989 he was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Grant, and in 1998 and 2004 he received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award. In 2000, his oeuvre was honoured with a comprehensive retrospective at PS1 Contemporary Art Centre.
The three watercolours by John Wesley on offer here are characteristic examples of his oeuvre. They are dominated by the typical flatness and the reduction to 3 colours - blue, black, and white.
Three geishas look over their shoulders from the gouache "7th of July". The viewer looks at the half-profile of 3 identical Japanese women, whose black hair becomes a flat band at the upper edge. The black contours of the blue garments lend dynamism to the lower part of the image. The meaning of the title is not resolved.
This is easier in the other two watercolours:
"Crimes in Iceland" shows an aeroplane, a container ship, a bus, and a truck, and right in the midst of them swims a whale. The threat to its habitat from these human means of transport seems clear. Nevertheless, the artist does not make any judgements or references, but arranges the five motifs neatly on top of one another against a blue background.
“Newark” also clearly refers to the New York airport. Through a mullioned window with curtains on the left and right, the viewer looks out at three oversized planes that seem to be about to take off. The planes are ridiculously close and large, so that the criticism of air traffic is presented in a humorous way.
- Jessica Fredericks Gallery, New York.
- Purchased from the above in 1997 by the present owner, since then private collection Switzerland.
John Wesley was one of the exponents of American Pop Art, but developed his own independent style.
Born in Los Angeles in 1928, Wesley attended Los Angeles City College and the University of California between 1946 and 1950. After numerous casual jobs, in 1960 Wesley decided to devote himself exclusively to painting. In his early paintings he used imaginary stamps and seals, until he switched to a pictorial language inspired by comic strips. Unlike comic strips, however, his colour palette is limited to 3-4 colours, and the flat painting style, despite its figurative nature, is more reminiscent of minimalist compositions and manga comics. He also never used the comics as a real model like Roy Lichtenstein, for example. In his works, Wesley dealt sometimes humorously with everyday life, especially life in the USA. In 1972 John Wesley was one of the participants in documenta 5. In 1989 he was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Grant, and in 1998 and 2004 he received the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award. In 2000, his oeuvre was honoured with a comprehensive retrospective at PS1 Contemporary Art Centre.
The three watercolours by John Wesley on offer here are characteristic examples of his oeuvre. They are dominated by the typical flatness and the reduction to 3 colours - blue, black, and white.
Three geishas look over their shoulders from the gouache "7th of July". The viewer looks at the half-profile of 3 identical Japanese women, whose black hair becomes a flat band at the upper edge. The black contours of the blue garments lend dynamism to the lower part of the image. The meaning of the title is not resolved.
This is easier in the other two watercolours:
"Crimes in Iceland" shows an aeroplane, a container ship, a bus, and a truck, and right in the midst of them swims a whale. The threat to its habitat from these human means of transport seems clear. Nevertheless, the artist does not make any judgements or references, but arranges the five motifs neatly on top of one another against a blue background.
“Newark” also clearly refers to the New York airport. Through a mullioned window with curtains on the left and right, the viewer looks out at three oversized planes that seem to be about to take off. The planes are ridiculously close and large, so that the criticism of air traffic is presented in a humorous way.
CHF 25 000 / 35 000 | (€ 25 770 / 36 080)
Vendu pour CHF 32 020 (frais inclus)
Aucune responsabilité n'est prise quant à l´exactitude de ces informations.