Philip Guston, Philip Guston, was a renowned Canadian-American painter and printmaker, born on June 27, 1913, in Montreal, Canada. His artistic career spanned over four decades, during which he developed a distinctive style that blended elements of abstract expressionism and representational art.
Early Life and Education
Guston's early life was marked by tragedy when his father, a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant, took his own life in 1923. This event had a profound impact on Guston's future artistic endeavors. He began drawing at a young age and eventually enrolled in the Los Angeles Manual Arts High School, where he started painting in 1927. Guston's mother supported his artistic inclinations, and he often created art in a small closet with a hanging bulb.
Guston studied under Frederick John de St. Vrain Schwankovsky, who introduced him to European modern art, Eastern philosophy, theosophy, and mystic literature. He also met
Jackson Pollock, with whom he published a paper opposing the high school's policies.
Artistic Career
Guston's artistic career can be divided into two distinct phases. His early work was figurative and representational, while his later pieces were more abstract and cartoonish. He frequently depicted racism, antisemitism, fascism, and American identity in his art. Guston's most notable works include
To Fellini, which set an auction record at Christie's when it sold for $25.8 million.
Guston was a founding figure in the mid-century
New York School, which established New York as the new center of the global art world. His work appeared in the famed
Ninth Street Show and in the avant-garde art journal
It is. A Magazine for Abstract Art. By the 1960s, Guston had renounced abstract expressionism and was helping pioneer a modified form of representational art known as neo-expressionism.
- Guston's paintings often featured dark and satirical elements, including drawings of Richard Nixon and hooded Klansmen.
- His work was influenced by his experiences with racism and antisemitism, as well as his interest in Eastern philosophy and mystic literature.
- Guston's later pieces were characterized by a limited palette and a focus on cartoonish renderings of various personal situations, symbols, and objects.
Guston's work can be found in various museums, including the
Whitney Museum of American Art and the
Tate Modern. His legacy continues to inspire artists and art enthusiasts alike. As a prominent figure in the abstract expressionist movement, Guston's unique perspective and artistic style have left an indelible mark on the world of art.
https://WahooArt.com/@/Lovis-Corinth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Guston
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/philip-guston-1231
https://www.theartstory.org/artist/guston-philip/
https://www.wikiart.org/en/philip-guston
https://whitney.org/artists/545