Tom Wesselmann

This book examines the work of Tom Wesselmann, one of the great American Pop artists alongside Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, and sheds new light on his distinctive contributions to art history.

Exploring Wesselmann’s steadfast focus on the fundamentals of art making, this generously illustrated volume casts him as an heir to both Ingres and Matisse, and a forerunner to contemporary artists such as Eric Fischl, Richard Phillips, and Mickalene Thomas. While famous for his Great American Nude series and still lifes of the early 1960s, Wesselmann consistently reinvented himself as an artist. He explored a variety of techniques including collage, painting, bas-relief still lifes, laser-cut landscapes, and three-dimensional nudes. Wesselmann’s forceful compositions exude cool objectification and rich sensuality, and exemplify the shift in cultural paradigms, between the old world and the new that began in the 1960s. Wesselmann also wrote country music, including the classic song “I Love Doing Texas with You,” which appears on the soundtrack to Brokeback Mountain. Including scholarly essays and numerous illustrations, this monograph reveals the astonishing visual impact and superb aesthetic quality of Wesselmann’s work.

“This luxuriously produced exhibition catalogue on Tom Wesselmann’s work is a welcome addition to the literature.” —Choice