Wendell Castle

Cloud (Shelf)

1969

In 1967, General Idea was founded in Toronto by AA Bronson (b. 1946), Felix Partz (1945-1994), and Jorge Zontal (1944-1994). Over the course of 25 years, they made a significant cont...

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is arguably the most important American artist of the 20th century. He not only defined Pop Art but had an unrivaled influence on artists and image-making. ...

General Idea was founded in 1967 in Toronto by AA Bronson (b. 1946), Felix Partz (1945-1994), and Jorge Zontal (1944-1994). Over the course of 25 years, they made a significant contribution to postmodern and conceptual art in Canada and beyond. The trio was both prolific and multi-disciplinary long before it became de rigueur. They worked across a wide range of media including photography, sculpture, painting, mail art, video, installations, multiples, and performance. With their subversive approach and interest in parody and appropriation, General Idea addressed a broad range of social (and art-world) issues such as the cult of the artist, mass media, queer identity, and consumerism. Thematic continuity was a key element for General Idea, who utilized longevity as an avenue to delve deeper into, build upon, and evolve with the complex and nuanced subject matter they took on. “Monet Cane” is an extraordinary example of General Idea’s use of iconography, appropriation, (and mischief) from this era. Beginning in the early 1980s, General Idea began using the poodle as an emblem for the trio, quickly elevating it to one of the most dominant motifs in their practice. Both single poodles, and trios (which would be a sort of group self-portrait) appeared frequently in a variety of artwork during their last decade of production. The 80's was a decade that saw appropriation flourish in the visual arts. General Idea made a significant contribution to this trend. While many of their contemporaries used mass-market images or objects (think Barbara Kruger, Jeff Koons, and Richard Prince) General Idea did not restrict themselves to accessible imagery but also claimed canonical images and blue-chip references. General Idea created two major series of paintings featuring the trio of poodles; in pastels (which were often bleached in a commercial washing machine) and in neon colors. This painting is exceptionally rare as it is one of four paintings made with this distinct flecked surface. This unique texture is a significant (and beautiful) anomaly at odds with their predominantly flat and graphic aesthetic. The surface of the canvas is enveloped in tiny, weighted flecks of paint that have been layered to create an incredible texture. This application of paint, which appears to be chenille-like, recalls both the atmospheric pastel palette and impressionistic effects made famous by Claude Monet. "Monet Cane" can not only be contextualized with other poodle paintings...

Charles Pachter is one of the most collected and cherished Canadian artists. His iconic, uplifting, and patriotic images have independently earned their place in the nation's museum...

Robert Indiana (1928-2018) was a pre-eminent figure of American Pop art, best known for his iconic masterpiece "LOVE", which remains one of the most famous and sought-after artworks ...

Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004) is one of the most iconic, collected, and sexy American Pop artists. Wesselmann arrived in New York City to study at Cooper Union with the goal of becomin...

Victor Spinelli was born in New York from and Italian family. Established in Ibiza, he attributes his origins in art to piloting a Hot Air balloon and travelling the world as a photographer. His works range from painting to sculpture and of course, photography. In 2019 he orchestrated the construction of an 8-foot wooden sculpture of my popular photograph “Diver UP” for Burning Man. The sculpture was torched on “The Mans” ashes after he burned to the ground and this symbolized metamorphoses of not only the evolution of Diver UP, but also a demarcation point in his career, thus beginning a new chapter within it. In 2020 he organizes the first edition of the Spin Art...

"Pop Doll" is a decorated sculpture. It is created by the French artist David Cintract. About the artwork: TECHNIQUE: mannequin fiberglass, lacquer,...

Eladio de Mora-Granados, dEmo, is one of the most original creators on the Spanish art scene. Born in Mora, Toledo, in 1960. A self-taught artist, dEmo's concerns began when he conc...

Eladio de Mora-Granados, dEmo, is one of the most original creators on the Spanish art scene. Born in Mora, Toledo, in 1960. A self-taught artist, dEmo's concerns began when he conc...

Eladio de Mora-Granados, dEmo, is one of the most original creators on the Spanish art scene. Born in Mora, Toledo, in 1960. A self-taught artist, dEmo's concerns began when he conc...

Eladio de Mora-Granados, dEmo, is one of the most original creators on the Spanish art scene. Born in Mora, Toledo, in 1960. A self-taught artist, dEmo's concerns began when he conc...