Looking At Lichtenstein

Born in New York, Roy Lichtenstein made waves in the art scene in the 1960s with his unique take on abstract expressionism, inspired by cartoon strips and advertisements. Provoking both admiration and controversy among peers and art critics, Lichtenstein played a key role in redefining pop art. Liz Tse explores the life and work of this pivotal artist.

Roy Lichtenstein work on exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

Early years

Roy Lichtenstein was born in Manhattan on October 27, 1923. Growing up on the upper West side in a middle class family, Lichtenstein began taking art classes at Parsons School of Design, igniting a love for art that would spark a thriving career as an artist. Upon finishing high school, Lichtenstein began an arts degree at Ohio State University, which was interrupted by a three year stint in the army during World War II. When he returned in 1946, Lichtenstein completed his masters and pursued a career as an art teacher, firstly at Ohio College and then New York State University. In the late 50s, Lichtenstein began teaching at Rutgers University where he met fellow art teacher Allan Kaprow; this was a pivotal point in his life as Kaprow encouraged Lichtenstein to revisit and experiment with pop art, sparking the beginning of a pop art revolution.

Art progression

Roy Lichtenstein, Cap de Barcelona, sculpture, mixed media, Barcelona

From 1965 onwards, Lichtenstein began working on the Brushstroke series. This was a continuation of his earlier brushstroke works, which included recreating famous masterpieces by Picasso, Mondrian and van Gough. Lichtenstein’s aim for the ‘Brushstroke series’ was to show the interconnection between the artist and his tools. Lichtenstein has said of this series, ‘It’s taking something that originally was supposed to mean immediacy and I’m tediously drawing something that looks like a brushstroke…I want it to look as though it were painstaking.’ Although Lichtenstein’s career primarily revolved around pop art, the artist also took an avid interest in surrealism, experimenting with sculptures and drawings in the latter part of his art career. His success as an artist created a high demand for commissioned work, including painting a BMW race car in his signature style and crafting an enamel-on-metal mural, positioned at Times Square subway station. His art career spanned over four decades, and his distinctive style consistently pushed the boundaries of what defined art.

Controversy and Criticism

Despite celebrating international success as an artist, his work received harsh criticism from art critics who claimed that his pieces lacked genuine artistic talent. It was believed his work showed limited creativity and technique because of his focus on commercial subject matter. In 1964, Life magazine asked ‘Is this the worst artist in America?’ in reference to Lichtenstein’s pop art paintings. Despite these criticisms, Lichtenstein’s cool-headed approach to his work, unlike those of his peers, including the tempestuous Andy Warhol, was what separated him from the rest of his contemporaries. Ultimately Lichtenstein’s controversial yet undoubtedly talented work set fire to the art scene in the 60s, remaining as insightful and significant today as it was in its original era. By Liz Tse

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