Alex Katz: A Study in Clarity and Form
An exploration of the enduring artistic vision of Alex Katz, an American master of figurative painting, sculpture, and printmaking.
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About Alex Katz
Master of Form
Alex Katz (born July 24, 1927) is a distinguished American figurative artist renowned for his contributions to painting, sculpture, and printmaking. His distinctive style, characterized by bold simplicity and heightened colors, is widely recognized as a precursor to Pop Art. Katz's extensive career, spanning over seven decades, has resulted in more than 200 solo exhibitions and nearly 500 group exhibitions globally.
Artistic Movements
Katz is associated with the "East Coast Figurative painting" movement, often linked with "New Realism" and recognized for his early influence on "Pop Art." His work, while appearing deceptively simple, is deeply rooted in a rigorous exploration of form, color, and composition, creating a unique visual language.
Personal Life
Born in Brooklyn, New York, to a family of Jewish immigrants, Katz grew up in St. Albans, Queens. He married Ada Del Moro in 1958, and she has been a frequent and iconic subject in his portraits. Their son, Vincent Katz, is also an artist and writer, continuing the family's creative legacy.
Origins and Education
Foundational Training
Katz pursued his artistic education at prestigious institutions. He studied at The Cooper Union in New York from 1946 to 1949, followed by attendance at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine from 1949 to 1950. The immersive experience at Skowhegan, particularly its emphasis on painting from life and plein air practice, proved pivotal, providing Katz with a profound reason to dedicate his life to art.
Maine Influence
Since 1954, Katz has maintained a deep connection with Lincolnville, Maine, spending his summers in a 19th-century farmhouse. This long-standing relationship with Maine has significantly influenced his landscape work. His association with Colby College has also been substantial, fostering a reciprocal artistic environment.
Developing a Style
During the period from 1954 to 1960, Katz experimented with smaller works, including collages featuring still lifes, Maine landscapes, and figures. He famously destroyed approximately a thousand paintings during his initial decade as a painter in his quest to define his unique style. This period of intense self-critique and exploration was crucial in shaping his approach to "painting faster than I can think," aiming for a reductive, narrative-free aesthetic.
The Art of Alex Katz
Public Recognition
Katz gained significant public recognition in the 1980s. His large-scale paintings, distinguished by their bold simplicity and vibrant colors, are now widely regarded as foundational works that anticipated the Pop Art movement. His artistic output is almost equally divided between portraiture and landscape.
Subject Matter
Katz's subjects often draw from his immediate surroundings. He captures views of New York City, particularly his Soho environment, and the landscapes of Maine. His portraits frequently depict family members, friends, artists, writers, and prominent figures from New York's social and artistic circles, including his wife, Ada, who has been the subject of hundreds of his portraits.
Artistic Style
Defining Characteristics
Katz's paintings are characterized by their flatness of color and form, a deliberate economy of line, and a notable emotional detachment. This approach creates a powerful visual presence, focusing the viewer's attention on the essential elements of the subject. A significant influence on his style is the Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro, particularly his woodcuts.
Cinematic Influence
In the early 1960s, Katz began creating large-scale paintings, often featuring dramatically cropped faces. This shift was influenced by contemporary media such as films, television, and billboard advertising. His works often possess a cinematic quality, with figures appearing as if captured in a fleeting moment.
Artistic Technique
The Painting Process
Katz employs a meticulous yet rapid process for his large-scale works. He begins with small oil sketches of his subjects. After a sitting, which might last an hour and a half, he creates a detailed pencil or charcoal drawing. This drawing is then enlarged into a "cartoon," often using an overhead projector. The composition is transferred to the canvas via "pouncing," an ancient technique involving pricking the cartoon and dusting pigment through the holes. Katz pre-mixes all colors before commencing the final painting session, which can cover canvases up to 12 feet wide and 7 feet high.
Cutouts and Space
Beginning in the late 1950s, Katz developed his signature "cutouts." These are paintings on shaped panels, initially wood and later aluminum, designed to occupy space as three-dimensional objects. While functioning like sculptures, their essence remains painterly, compressed into planes. Later cutouts are often mounted on U-shaped stands, giving them a dynamic, almost cinematic presence enhanced by spotlights. These works frequently feature close-ups of figures, sometimes showing front and back views or figures interacting across the planes.
Printmaking Practice
Prolific Output
Since 1965, Alex Katz has maintained a highly prolific career in printmaking. He has produced over 400 print editions utilizing techniques such as lithography, etching, silkscreen, woodcut, and linoleum cut. His comprehensive print oeuvre is held by institutions like the Albertina in Vienna and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He collaborated with Japanese printmaker Hitoshi Nakazato on a significant series of prints.
Collaborative Projects
Art and Literature
Katz has a long history of collaborating with poets and writers, beginning in the 1960s. These projects often combine his visual art with literary works, creating unique editions. Notable collaborators include Ted Berrigan, Ann Lauterbach, Carter Ratcliff, Gerard Malanga, John Ashbery, Robert Creeley, and Kenneth Koch. His work has also been featured in publications like Harper's Bazaar.
Gallery of Works
Notable Pieces
Katz's extensive body of work includes numerous iconic pieces housed in major collections worldwide. The following table highlights a selection of his significant works:
Exhibition History
Global Reach
Alex Katz's work has been exhibited extensively since his first solo show at the Roko Gallery in 1954. His career boasts over 200 solo exhibitions and nearly 500 group exhibitions internationally. Major retrospectives have been held at institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Jewish Museum, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and the Tate Gallery. His landscapes were surveyed at P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center in 1998, and significant exhibitions at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2015) and the Guggenheim Museum (2022-2023) have further cemented his status.
Museum Collections
Worldwide Acclaim
Katz's art is held in the collections of over 100 public institutions across the globe. Prominent among these are the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tate Gallery (London), and the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris). His work is also represented in major collections in Tokyo, Berlin, Madrid, and beyond, reflecting his international significance.
Recognition and Honors
Esteemed Accolades
Throughout his distinguished career, Alex Katz has received numerous prestigious awards and honors. These include the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship for Painting (1972), the Pratt Institute's Mary Buckley Award for Achievement (1987), and the Queens Museum of Art Award for Lifetime Achievement (1987). He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1988) and has received honorary doctorates from Colby College and Colgate University. His contributions have also been recognized by the National Academy of Design, the American Academy in Berlin, and various other institutions, underscoring his profound impact on the art world.
Enduring Legacy
Influence on Artists
Alex Katz's distinctive approach to figurative art has significantly influenced generations of artists. His emphasis on clarity, bold color, and simplified forms has inspired numerous painters, including David Salle, Helena Wurzel, Peter Halley, Richard Prince, Peter Doig, Julian Opie, Liam Gillick, Elizabeth Peyton, and Brian Alfred. His work continues to be a touchstone for artists exploring representation and style in contemporary art.
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References
References
- Snider, Suzanne, "Why do Alex Katz's elegant canvases strike critics as the ultimate in WASP art?", Tablet, A New Read on Jewish Life, November 21, 2006
- Shama, Simon, Dave Hickey, Alanna Heiss. "Alex Katz Under the Stars: American Landscapes 1951รขยย1995" (exh. cat.). New York: The Institute for Contemporary Art/ P. S. 1 Museum, 1996.
- Alex Katz Museum of Modern Art, New York.
- Alex Katz, Lilies Against Yellow House (1983) National Galleries of Scotland.
- Ashbery, John and Alex Katz, "Coma Berenices". Photogravure images by Alex Katz; with text by John Ashbery. Tampa: Graphicstudio, Institute for Research in Art, 2005.]
- Katz, Vincent and Alex Katz, "A Tremor In The Morning", New York: Peter Blum Edition, 1986.]
- Katz, Vincent and Alex Katz, "Swimming Home", Photogravure images by Alex Katz with poem by Vincent Katz. Tampa: Graphicstudio/University of South Florida, 2011.
- Creeley, Robert, "Ligeia: A Libretto" Set design sketch by Alex Katz. New York and Minneapolis: Granary Books; Hermetic Press, 1996.
- Schwartz, Sanford and Vincent Katz. "Alex Katz in Maine". Milan, Italy and Rockland, Maine: Charta; The Farnsworth Art Museum, 2005.
- "Alex Katz: An American Way of Seeing". Sara Hilden Art Museum, Musee de Grenoble, Museum Kurhaus Kleve, 2009. p. 130.
- Alex Katz Timothy Taylor Gallery, London.
- Alex Katz, 4 March - 9 April 2010 Timothy Taylor Gallery, London.
- Sara Hilden Art Museum, "Alex Katz: An American Way of Seeing". Sara Hilden Art Museum, Musee de Grenoble, Museum Kurhaus Kleve, 2009. p. 130.
- James, Merlin. "Painting per se" lecture delivered at Cooper Union Great Hall, New York, 28th February 2002.
- colby.edu, accessed September 21, 2007.
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