Get your culture fix this weekend by heading down to the river to see the Lichtenstein retrospective at Tate Modern.
Reuniting some works for the first time since their sale, it combines some of Lichtenstein's monumental icons alongside some less well known, quirky pieces (the little magnifying glass is my favourite!)
I love the first room, which shows some of Lichtenstein's early work - huge comic book paint splashes that establish a disconnect between calculated depiction and spontaneous brush stroke. Divorcing the artistic process from the subject,he would have painted this methodically and machine-like, dot after dot.
I love the first room, which shows some of Lichtenstein's early work - huge comic book paint splashes that establish a disconnect between calculated depiction and spontaneous brush stroke. Divorcing the artistic process from the subject,he would have painted this methodically and machine-like, dot after dot.
The rest of the exhibition is like a hall of mirrors - both literally, in 'the mirror room' and metaphorically, since most of Lichtenstein's oeuvre is about self reference - reflections, imitations, imitations of imitations, imitations of his own work, and so on.
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| Mirrored part of a 30's style sculpture |
What I really like about it is the story his comic book tells. Just as we imagine the geeky cartoonist of Spider-Man elevating his status to superhero, Lichtenstein places himself in the artistic canon, by referencing Picasso and Matisse alongside himself, seemingly treating his own work with the same reverence.
The scale of Lichtenstein's canvases works perfectly for the Tate Modern exhibition space and you can whizz through the exhibition pretty leisurely without getting to that 'God I need a coffee / to sit down and I'm only half way through' point.
If you want to turn up to the exhibition as a massive hipster or feel inspired afterwards, here is my edit of Lichtenstein influenced pieces (some more for looking at than buying!):
From left to right: Cartoon bomb cardigan £660 by L'Wren Scott, Net a Porter, dress $2000 by Lisa Perry, embellished 'Bang' top £18 from Topshop, Knitted 'bang' skirt £32 from Topshop, 'Kapow' tights, £8.50 from Topshop
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