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拍品专文
True to his distinctive graphic style, John Wesley's 1985 painting Seascape with Frieze of Girls is characterized by bold, weighted lines and unmodulated color. In a nuanced exploration of sexuality and desire, Wesley skillfully employs balance and symmetry, using three gracefully posed nude women standing in a line. He artfully hints at sensuality by revealing just enough of the female form, executed with remarkable precision and clarity, while also playfully concealing their identity amidst the lush greenery. The allure of the painting lies in the reduced pallet of soft pinks, forest green, and shades of sky blue, blended with sensuously flowing curvy contour lines. The tantalizing imagery, that is the central focus, only enhances the overall composition. Critic Dave Hickey, while reviewing the artist’s 2000 retrospective at the P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Centre, aptly described Wesley’s work as having a “penchant for erotic narrative” (D. Hickey, “Touché Boucher: John Wesley’s Gallant Subjects, Artforum, vol. 39, no. 2, October 2000, p. 118).
This sizable artwork eludes an enigmatic quality, making it resistant to easy categorization, drawing influence from Pop, Minimalism, and Surrealism. As John Wesley himself expressed, “I didn’t go out and try to be a surrealist. It was just fun doing what I was doing” (J. Wesley, quoted in R. Kennedy, “John Wesley, an Artist Who Couldn’t Be Pinned Down, Dies at 93”, The New York Times, 2022, digital). Additionally, the humor evident in Wesley's breadth of work captivated the New York Minimalists, and his contemporaries, Dan Flavin and Donald Judd, both of whom maintained enduring friendships with him and wholeheartedly supported his artistic endeavors. Just two years before the painting of this work in 1983, Judd took the initiative to create a dedicated gallery at his Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, exclusively showcasing Wesley's paintings. This recognition speaks to the influential power of Wesley’s work and painting style, which still exists today to a new generation of artists.
Seascape with Frieze of Girls serves as an early example of Wesley’s work and portrays a timeless theme from Classical art with an added spirited touch that reflects his unique perspective on the world.
This sizable artwork eludes an enigmatic quality, making it resistant to easy categorization, drawing influence from Pop, Minimalism, and Surrealism. As John Wesley himself expressed, “I didn’t go out and try to be a surrealist. It was just fun doing what I was doing” (J. Wesley, quoted in R. Kennedy, “John Wesley, an Artist Who Couldn’t Be Pinned Down, Dies at 93”, The New York Times, 2022, digital). Additionally, the humor evident in Wesley's breadth of work captivated the New York Minimalists, and his contemporaries, Dan Flavin and Donald Judd, both of whom maintained enduring friendships with him and wholeheartedly supported his artistic endeavors. Just two years before the painting of this work in 1983, Judd took the initiative to create a dedicated gallery at his Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, exclusively showcasing Wesley's paintings. This recognition speaks to the influential power of Wesley’s work and painting style, which still exists today to a new generation of artists.
Seascape with Frieze of Girls serves as an early example of Wesley’s work and portrays a timeless theme from Classical art with an added spirited touch that reflects his unique perspective on the world.