Lichtenstein

Two art exhibitions in one week!? You can tell I am trying to make up for the fact that I haven't found time to paint by doing some 'research' instead.

Whaam! I had to copy this numerous times when I was at school - bizarrely my banner echoes the explosion...

After the successful visit of the Light Show at the Hayward Gallery last week, I was eagerly anticipating the Tate Modern's current exhibition on Lichtenstein especially after watching a BBC 4 documentary detailing the show on the previous day. Firstly watching the documentary had good points and bad points - It was brilliant for giving me some background history and an insight into Lichtenstein's modus operandi and raison d'etre (sometimes English words just won't do) but I kind of wished I could have listened to it on the radio. Some of the pieces would have held a lot more gravitas seeing them for the first time in real life. 

Sunrise.  Wall Explosion II.  Brushstroke with Spatter.

Four key things struck me about the exhibition:

1. I loved the way pieces were included from the beginning of his career, to the height of his fame to the deterioration at the end. There was a ridiculously good mix of sculpture, painting, colour, monochromatic works, landscapes, people - everything.  I suppose it wouldn't be much of a retrospective if there wasn't but it was such a clear journey. 
2. Having watched the documentary I really appreciated seeing the works created by Lichtenstein whilst he was still in obscurity. They were atrocious as he was supposedly trying to do expressionistic works when his heart wasn't in it. It was heart warming to see a now famous Pop Artist so initially incompetent. There is hope for us all! 
3. Interestingly it was really good to see the hand behind the work - in print the images Lichtenstein creates always look perfect, mechanical and cold. In real life you can see the quiver in the line, the thickness of the paint, the imperfect placing of the dots (at the beginning at least). It made everything seem more real.   
4. Lastly I enjoyed the peculiar full circle of work from tormented and lost to start, to clear, clean and precise fame in the middle, to a mass of experimenting with a found style to slightly lost at the end. I think Lichtenstein was going to break into something new....if only he hadn't died.....

Oh Jeff I love you too but.  Ball of Twine.  Head with Blue Shadow.

So Lichtenstein, whether I am a fan or not, whether I feel as though you cheated by copying comic strip images, whether I feel as though you were a self manufactured brand rather than an artist, riding the crest of 60's American commercialism like all people with good timing, it doesn't matter; I like you a little bit more after this visit to the Tate, and I love you for your atrocious expressionist paintings.