James Rosenquist, arguably one of the most famous pop artists of our time, sat down with Corcoran President Paul Greenhalgh Tuesday night to discuss his journey and the meaning behind his work.
What was most striking about Rosenquist were his humble beginnings. Certainly not an artist of influence, Rosenquist was born in North Dakota where he lived without electricity and a telephone.
He used his craft to earn a living in the late 1950s painting billboards on scaffolds in Times Square. The techniques he used when painting advertisements influenced the artistic work he began producing in the 1960s.
“That experience doesn’t exist anymore, its all Fuji photographs blown up,” Rosenquist lamented.
Although his art has political undertones, Rosenquist said he does not see an agenda in his work, but rather said it is a reflection of the times as they happen.
