Roy Lichtenstein: On Paper

Opening November 10th, Roy Lichtenstein: Works On Paper exhibits a diverse catalog of prints released between the early 1960s to late 1990s.

Roy Lichtenstein was a pop art painter whose works, in a style derived from comic strips, portray the trivialization of culture endemic in contemporary American life. Using bright, strident colors and techniques borrowed from the printing industry, he ironically incorporates mass-produced emotions and objects into highly sophisticated references to art history. He was one of the first American Pop artists to achieve widespread renown, and he became a lightning rod for criticism of the movement.

Roy Lichtenstein grew up engrossed in New York City culture, frequently visiting the museums, galleries, and concerts the city had to offer. He showed artistic and musical ability at an early age and looked up to artists such as Rembrandt, Daumier, and Picasso. While Lichtenstein admired the greats, he was disenchanted at the notion that some artists’ work was considered great while others’ could be deemed inferior. He dedicated his career to elevating “low-brow” elements of American culture to the same status as traditional subject matters. Through his pieces, Lichtenstein challenged art hierarchies and helped redefine what constituted high art.