James Rosenquist : a Retrospective
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james rosenquist A RETROSPECTIVE ^ ;;• >u james rosenquist A RETROSPECTIVE WALTER HOPPS and SARAH BANCROFT Since the late 19505, lames Rosenquist has created in exception il and consistently intriguing bod) of work. A leader of the American Pop art movement in the 1960s, alone with such contemporaries as Jim Dine. Ro> Lichtenstein. Claes Oldenburg, and Andy Warhol. Rosenquist drew on the popular iconography of advertising and mass media to conjure a sense of contemporary life and the political tenor of the times. Born and raised in the Midwest and working in New Yoik and Florida, he has developed a distinctK American voice—\ei his work comments on popular culture and institutions from a continually evolving global perspective. From his early days as a billboard painter to his recent masterful use of abstract painting techniques, Rosenquist has maintained a passion for visually, color, line and shape that con- tinues to dazzle viewers and influence younger generations of artists. Published on the occasion of a Comprehensive retrospective organized by Walter Hopps and Sarah Bancroft, this monograph is a definitive investigation of Rosenquist's more than forty-year career in painting and sculpture, source collages, draw ingE and jraphics and multiples, from his earliest works to the present. Lavishly illustxansd, the book features nearly three hundred of ii most in meant works, including several that have never been published and a broad selection of source collages. The essay by Hopps pro\ id en iew of Rosenquist's career, and those b> |ulia Blaut and Ruth E. Fine- reveal his working processes in collage and printmakin ely. Texts by Chris Balsiger. Bancroft. Eugene E. Epstein, and Michelle Harewood explore selected themes recurring in his work. An exti n chronology, including many newly published photographs, examines the artist's life and career. Completing the publication ire m exhibition history and a selected bibliography, which document the prolific activity of this major figure in contemporary American art. 444 pages with 271 plates and 182 figures GuggenheirriMusEUM Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/enquistrOOrose james rosenquist A RETROSPECTIVE ? t: . n ^ 't rrrr E!3i r S > 4 - A.J.'^PIIi>> W* I » '!» » rJ ***** • >V/^ •«i . •: ; / \ ' K ; * JtJW ^£ i w& m -» r^^A.^ - *# ' •/*• I, ^ *-*W '- . fe **rP* james rosenquist A RETROSPECTIVE WALTER HOPPS and SARAH BANCROFT GuggenheimMUSEUf Published on the occasion of the exhibition james rosenquist: a retrospective Organized by Walter Hopps and Sarah Bancroft The Menil Collection and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston May 17-August 17. 2003 Solomon R Guggenheim Museum. New York October 16. 2003-January 18. 2004 Guggenheim Museum Bilbao July 2004-October 2004 This exhibition is sponsored by Deutsche Bank \Z\ a Delta Additional support is provided by TSf National Endowment for the Arts lames Rosenquist A Retrospective from and back covers © 2003 The Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation, New ill- "i fori Dei The Swimmer In the I cono mill (painting I). All rights reserved 1997 98 (cat no 1)7) All works of 3rt by lames Rosenquist €> 200} fames Rosenquist/ Licensed by VAGA, New Yoik pages iv-x Used by permission. All rights reserved. fig I Rosenquist in his Coenties Slip studio, New York. 1961 Works shown: Zone (1960 6I,cai no 4), Flower Go ISBN: 0-89207-267-9 (hardcover) (1961 cai no 6), ind Pushbutton (1961, cat; no. 5) Photo ISBN: 0-89207-268-7 (softcover) by Paul Berg fig 2 Rosenquist carrying Panama (1966) outside Leo Guggenheim Publications i i. Museum I Hi Gallery, New York, 1966 Photo by Bob Adelman 107] Fifth Avenue i enqulsi working fron i whlli painting New York. New York 10128 TV Boat II (1966), Broome Sim I Studio New fori Photo by Bob Adelman Hardcover edition available through fig. 4 Rosenquist working on Conveyor Rett (1964. cat DAP /Distributed Art Publishers no. 46), Broome Street studio, New York, 1964 Photo by 155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor Bob Adelman New York, New York 10013 fig. 5 Rosenquist carrying maquette for sculpt in i It Heals Tel: (212) 627-1999. Fa* (212) 627-9484 Up For All Children's Hospital (2002), outside studio office, Aripeka. Florida, 2002 Photo by Gianfr.in Design Don Quaintance, Public Address Design Gorgoni assistant Design/production Elizabeth Fdzzell fig. 6 Rosenquist working on Sit II rW«/(I980, cai HO 95), Production Melissa Secondino Chambers Street studio, New York, 1980 Photo by Bob Editorial ! lizabeth Franzen, Stephen Hoban, Edward Weisberger tdelman fig 7 Rosenquist celebrating, Aripeka, Florida. 1985. Photo Printed in Germany by Cantr by Gianfranco GorgOfll essays waiter hopps connoisseur of the inexplicable 2 julia blaut james rosenquist: 16 collage and the painting of modern life ruth E. fine off the continental divide and other risky journeys 44 painting and sculpture 56 with texts on selected themes anonymity, celebrity, and self-promotion 72 Sarah Bancroft COntentS modern issues and current events 126 Sarah Bancroft rooms with a view: walk-in paintings 148 Chris Balsiger flora and florida "crosshatched" paintings 204 Michelle Harewood space and scientific phenomena 230 Sarah Bancroft an astronomer observes and feels james rosenquist's art 232 Eugene E. Epstein source collages 278 drawings 308 graphics and multiples 332 documentation 368 sarah Bancroft chronology exhibition history 388 compiled by Sarah Bancroft with Janice Yang 406 selected bibliography compiled by Sarah Bancroft and Janice Yang 412 index of works reproduced leitmotifs These interests and concerns are realized as thematic sponsor's statement James Rosenquist's The Swimmer in the Econo-mist (1997-98) in such large-scale paintings as F-UI Bank in consulta- in his work, culminating was chc first work commissioned by Deutsche The Holy Roman Empire for the (1964-65); Horse Blinders (1968-69); tion with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in the from through Checkpoint Charlie (1994); and The Swimmer Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin. The special affinity arising American artist and Econo-mist this cooperation continues between the anticipation that we welcome the paint- It is with pleasure and Deutsche Bank until today: his three-part, monumental Rosenquist: A Retrospective, which fully meets artistic feature at exhibition lames ning. which has now become a sorely missed will continue to I am convinced of this, forms a highlight of the all our expectations and. its usual site in Deutsche Bank London, public as well. his work, be compelling to the current exhibition. Not only this special response to program of edi- but also his exceptional contribution to our short films and in- tions—a suit tailored from paper—as well as Dr. Tessen von Heydebreck are reflections — for the bank's corporate communication terviews Directors Member of the Board of Managing with a familiar and of our special partnership. Consequently, it is of Deutsche Bank AG comprehensive retro- special pleasure that we sponsor the first three decades. spective of James Rosenquist's art in more than mixes by Rosenquist creates his work with paint that he Deutsche Bank m may be hand and applies with a paintbrush. These techniques age of media art. but seen as antiquated or old-fashioned in the exhibitions and Rosenquist—as demonstrated by his numerous novel and successes— continues to challenge his audience with believe remarkable imagery that remains on the vanguard. We dynamic artworks, Rosenquist's objective has been to create spatially embrace and emo- which, in intensity of color and size, artistic achieve- tionally engage their audience. Yet. Rosenquist's his work reflects ment fascinates beyond its formal brilliance, as issues the world over. a critical interest in social and political Delta Air Lines is proud to sponsor the Solomon R. Guggenheim SDOnSOT'S Statement Museum's James Rosenquist: A Retrospective exhibition. As one of America's first Pop artists, James Rosenquist has contributed significantly to the canvas of American art and will undoubtedly be a distinguished addition to the Guggenheim's many treasures. Delta commends the Guggenheim Museum for its unyield- ing commitment to showcasing extraordinary collections and looks forward to sharing this exhibition with the world. We share a common vision with the Guggenheim Museum in connecting people to the world's rich cultural treasures by providing more than 5.800 flights daily to more than 437 desti- nations in 78 countries. We invite you to enjoy Rosenquist and to join in supporting the many outstanding programs offered by the museum around the world. — Frederick W, Reid President and Chief Operating Officer A Delta Courtesy of Acquavella Galleries. New York Frances Beatty Adler and Allen Adler Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Buffalo Art Enterprises, Limited, Chicago AXA Financial. Inc., New York Harley Baldwin and Richard Edwards. Aspen, Colorado Bobbi and Stephen Berkman Connecticut Courtesy of The Brant Foundation. Greenwich. lenders to the exhibition Courtesy of Leo Castelli Gallery. New York Chrysler Museum of Art. Norfolk. Virginia Douglas and Maureen Cohn, Tampa, Florida Dallas Museum of Art Roberta and Roy David DeCordova Museum and Scupture Park. Lincoln, Massachusetts Frits de Knegt and Siriporn Butranon Deutsche Bank, New York Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin Michael Douglas Stefan T. Edlis Collection The Fearer Family Collection Richard L. Feigen Marvin Ross Friedman, Coral Gables, Florida Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Jean Hamon The Saint Louis Art Museum Samuel and Ronnie Heyman, New York San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Linda G. Singer Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Shirley and Sid Singer Fred Howard Jan and Gullevi Sparr Ellsworth Kelly Jerome and Ellen Stern Billy Kluvcr Ellen and Stephen Susman, Houston Lilja Art Fund Foundation, Basel Daniel and Natasha Tauber Museum Ludwig, Cologne Jean Todt, Paris Margulies Family Collection, Miami Universal Limited Art Editions, Inc., West Islip. New York The Menil Collection, Houston Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Pilar Whitman Moderna Museet.