Roy Lichtenstein
Pyramids, 1968
Artwork Brief Description
Lichtenstein’s *Pyramids* blends pop art with minimalism, transforming an ancient symbol into a two-dimensional, comic book-inspired design. The work reflects his exploration of perspective and his interest in blending popular culture with high art.
Roy Lichtenstein, famous American artist known for his contribution to Pop Art.
Born in New York on 27 October 1923 into a Jewish family, Lichtenstein became passionate about art, design and music at an early age.
After participating in World War II, he completed his studies in Fine Arts and began his artistic career.
He moved to Cleveland, where he worked as a teacher, painter and designer, initially oscillating between Cubism and Expressionism before moving towards Abstract Expressionism.
In the 1960s, he began incorporating elements of advertising and comic strips into his work, developing a distinctive style with the stippled Ben Day. His career included numerous exhibitions and collaborations, with work inspired by various avant-gardes.
He died on 29 September 1997 in New York from pneumonia.
Roy Lichtenstein (American 1923-1997) Pyramids, 1968
Master of Pop Art Roy Lichtenstein’s trio of Pyramids is strategically perched atop a mound in a secluded area of the garden. At first glance, they appear to be stylised models of their ancient Egyptian counterparts. However, closer inspection reveals that the sculpture is, in fact, two-dimensional. His use of a heavy black outline and the thick half-tones to denote shades are unmistakably Lichtentestin in style, as establishing his own artistic identity was something that was very important to him as an artist.
The use of bright white in Lichtenstein’s graphic depiction of this iconic subject evokes the aesthetic of popular comic books, a medium that has been dear to his artistic practice. One particular comic that inspired the streamlined style of the Pyramids is Alexander Toth’s illustration in the March- April edition of “House of Secrets'' from 1964.
Despite being rooted in popular culture, the application of traditional perspective and crisp composition of these three forms represents a significant evolution in Lichtenstein’s style. The shift denotes a move towards a more sophisticated, academic approach to art, wherein formal qualities are afforded equal importance to poetic meaning. Notably his depiction of Pyramids in his paintings and sculpture aligns itself with the 1960’s minimalist movement.
Interestingly, after seeing Lichtenstein’s depiction of pyramids, fellow Heller artist Keith Haring used pyramids regularly in his work. Haring loved their symbolic power, which was particularly ingrained in American culture in the 1960s,’70s, and ‘80s, as Pyramids were closely associated with UFO sightings and extraterrestrial life. This connection stemmed from the 'Ancient Astronauts' conspiracy theorists, who argued that many ancient sites, such as the Pyramids at Giza, were built by visiting aliens in ancient and prehistoric times.
Pyramids is, on one level, an exemplar of Roy Lichtenstein’s 1960s practice: a bold, graphic depiction of an instantly recognisable subject, executed in a bright colour that evokes the aesthetic of popular comic books. Yet, in other respects, it represents a dramatic progression within his style and a move towards a more sophisticated, even academic approach to art, where formal qualities are valued on the same level as poetic meaning.
It is a work of dramatic immediacy that is immediately recognisable as Lichtenstein. In this regard, we are reminded of the artist’s 1988 assessment: “All painters take a personal attitude toward painting. What makes each object in the work is that it is organised by that artist’s vision. The style and the content are also different from anyone else’s. They are unified by the point of view – mine. This is the big tradition of art.”
(Roy Lichtenstein cited in: Calvin Tomkins, Roy Lichtenstein: Mural with Blue Brushstroke, New York 1988, p. 42)