This spring, Gagosian will unveil its 14th exhibition dedicated to the iconic artist Roy Lichtenstein, titled "Painting with Scattered Brushstrokes." This exhibition will exclusively feature pieces from the Lichtenstein family collection, showcasing an array of paintings, sculptures, watercolors, and works on paper from the 1970s and '80s.
The exhibition is set to open on March 19 at the gallery located at 541 West 24th Street. This event coincides with a vibrant surge in the art market for the late Pop artist, as a significant retrospective at the Whitney Museum is also scheduled for later this year.
Last April, Sotheby's announced a consignment of over 40 works from Lichtenstein's family, with estimates exceeding $35 million. Following that, in September, a dedicated auction of more than 90 pieces from the Dorothy and Roy Lichtenstein Collection took place, and in November, eight works from the collection sold for a remarkable total of $20.7 million, achieving a 100% sell-through rate. In total, Sotheby's has successfully sold nearly $150 million worth of Lichtenstein's art.
The Gagosian exhibition emphasizes a recurring theme in Lichtenstein's work: the brushstroke. In the 1960s, as Abstract Expressionism gained prominence, Lichtenstein began to depict brushstrokes as standalone images. He transformed spontaneous marks into iconic symbols, creating a unique visual language.
By the 1970s and '80s, Lichtenstein revisited the brushstroke motif, presenting it with renewed clarity. The brushstrokes in these later works are bold and graphic, appearing almost mechanical in their precision.
Stefan Ratibor, managing director of Gagosian, noted the "incredible interest" in Lichtenstein's work over the past year, especially with the upcoming Whitney exhibition, which marks the museum's first major retrospective of the artist in over two decades.
The Whitney Museum has been integral to Lichtenstein's legacy, with his foundation donating over 400 works to the institution. Additionally, his widow, Dorothy, gifted Roy's studio to the museum in 2022, establishing it as a base for its Independent Study Program. Lichtenstein first exhibited at the Whitney in the 1965 Annual and had a significant mid-career survey in 1981, further solidifying his connection to the museum.
The Gagosian gallery emphasizes that the forthcoming exhibition is not merely a repetition of auctioned works but rather a complementary showcase. Since hosting its inaugural Lichtenstein solo exhibition in 1998, Gagosian has presented numerous shows focusing on various aspects of his artistic journey. By highlighting a defining motif in Lichtenstein's visual language, alongside the impressive auction results and the Whitney retrospective, Gagosian aims to keep the artist's legacy vibrant and in the public eye.
