Castelli Gallery presented Roy Lichtenstein's works from 1980s

One of the most influential artist of the second half of the 20th century, Roy Lichtenstein, visited Frieze SEOUL. Tremendous amount of visitors appreciated Roy Lichtenstein’s works at Castelli Gallery booth, during Frieze week.

His work defined the premise of pop art through parody. Inspired by the comic strip, Lichtenstein produced precise compositions that documented while they parodied, often in a tongue-in-cheek manner. Work of Lichtenstein was influenced by popular advertising and the comic book style. His beginning by borrowing images from comic books and advertisements in the early 1960s, and eventually encompassing those of everyday objects, artistic styles, and art history itself.

The booth of Castelli filled up with Roy Lichtenstein’s works. Castelli Gallery is the gallery presented Roy Lichtenstein’s first exhibition in 1962 and Lichtenstein remained with the gallery until his death.

“The gallery has a longstanding relationship with the artist and now we represents the Estate of the artist,” said Castelli Gallery. 

▲ Roy Lichtenstein, Paintings: Mirror, 1984, Oil and Magna on canvas, 177.8 x 218.4 cm. Photo by Rachel Bae

“The booth focuses on works from the 1980s, a particularly rich decade for the artist, and it includes paintings, sculptures, collages and drawings. Many works share a common theme: the dialogue between abstraction and figuration. In Painting: Mirrors the composition is divided in two areas: on the left, we see an abstract painting rendered with free brushstrokes, and on the right a mirror rendered with dots. While it is easy to describe the left area as 'abstract and the 'right' area as 'figurative', these terms lose their meaning when we are in front of the artwork,"

▲ Roy Lichtenstein, Profile Head, 1988, Painted and patinated bronze 93 x 57.2 x 24.1 cm, edition of 6. Photo by Luha Lee.“Another common theme in the booth is the almost abstract presence of female figures with blond hair, as we see in two iconic sculptures, Surrealist Head II and Profile Head, in the painting Reflections: Sure!?, and in the collage Study of Hands (Study). The female figure is one of Lichtenstein’s most iconic subjects, and he returned to this subject in various ways throughout his career,” said Castelli Gallery.

Castelli Gallery was founded by Leo Castelli in 1957. Considered the most influential art dealer of the Post-War period. The gallery became the epicenter of Pop Art, Minimal Art, Conceptual Art and Post-Minimal Art. Since 1999, the gallery has been operated under the direction of Barbara Bertozzi Castelli. Ms. Bertozzi Castelli continues the gallery’s commitment to promoting the work of artists including Jasper Johns, Joseph Kosuth, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Morris, Richard Pettibone, and Keith Sonnier. The gallery maintains two exhibition spaces: an Upper East Side location at 18 East 77th Street, and 24 West 40th Street, across from Bryant Park in New York City.

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