Tom Wesselmann

  Ignacio Zuloaga

 

Personal Details:

Name

Tom Wesselmann

Place of birth

Cincinnati, Ohio

Year of Birth

1931

Year of death

2004

Nationality

American

Paintings

Still Life #30, Great American Nude #53, Bedroom Painting #3


Tom
Wesselmann (February 23, 1931 December 17, 2004) was an American artist who was associated with the Pop Art movement. He is best known for his boldly colored, flat, graphic paintings of consumer products, celebrities, and sexualized female nudes.

 

Wesselmann was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and grew up there, attending the University of Cincinnati, where he received a degree in psychology in 1953. He served in the United States Army from 1953-1955 and was stationed in Germany. After his service he moved to New York to pursue his art career, enrolling at the Cooper Union and the Art Students League.

He began creating collages from images taken from popular magazines, which combined with his painting and drawing practices, led to him developing his Pop Art style. Wesselmann's work is characterized by its bright colors, flat shapes, and iconic imagery, which often featured consumer products, celebrities, and female nudes

. He was inspired by the Pop Art movement and its focus on popular culture and consumerism. His works often contained references to American culture and the mass media, and he used bright colors and strong lines to create a graphic effect. He often used bold outlines and bright colors to create a sense of immediacy and energy in his work. Wesselmann's work was exhibited in numerous galleries and museums and he also created several public sculptures, including one of Marilyn Monroe in New York.

He received numerous awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in 1971 and the Skowhegan Medal for Painting in 1995. Wesselmann's work has had a lasting influence on contemporary art, and he is considered to be one of the most important figures in the Pop Art movement. His work continues to inspire and influence both emerging and established artists. His iconic images and bold colors remain iconic and have been featured in numerous books, films, and exhibitions.