Guy Stanley Philoche

Contemporary artist Guy Stanley Philoche typically works in the Pop art vein, riffing on imagery from popular culture such as the “Peanuts” comic strip and “Looney Tunes” cartoons. His goal is to connect with the viewer in his paintings and other works however possible, be it through tactile, layered surfaces that engage the eye or memorable, playful details like money folded into the shape of butterflies.

Growing up in a family of sports fans, Philoche never felt he fit in. When other kids were outside, happily running and playing ball, he would be inside, drawing comic books and watching cartoons that he would mimic in his art. Philoche also stood out as a Haitian immigrant in his childhood home of Connecticut. He visited museums, including in nearby New York City, whenever he could and found solace in the work of Mark Rothko, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Jackson Pollock. He later took that painterly inspiration and combined it with the popular culture of his youth, from Monopoly games to Garfield comics. Nostalgia would later be key, with many paintings in Philoche's “Game Series” depicting the board games that would come out after dinner with his family on Sundays, like Candy Land and Risk.

After studying at Paier College of Art, Philoche attended Yale University. Then, with little more than a couple of bags, he moved to New York City, where he was inspired by the life in its streets and the way advertisements, graffiti and posters built up over time on its surfaces. He went to the galleries in Chelsea each week and worked tirelessly to create a network and share his art, which involves a dynamic mix of oil paint, acrylics, spray paint and sculpture. An early breakthrough was his “Untitled Series” featuring blocky fields of color inspired by Abstract Expressionism. Comedian Chris Rock is now a fan, among many others who are drawn to his vibrant work, and he regularly sells out shows.

Philoche now finds ways to give back to the art community that nurtured his 20-plus-year career. In 2020 and 2021, he made headlines for purchasing over $65,000 worth of art from more than 150 emerging and local artists to offer support during the Covid-19 pandemic. “I was looking just to make sure that people had groceries, people had diapers, people were able to pay half their rent,” he told People magazine, adding, “It was just my way to try and help out as much as possible.”

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Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.

Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.

The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.

Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.

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The history of sculpture as we know it is believed to have origins in Ancient Greece, while small sculptural carvings are among the most common examples of prehistoric art. In short, sculpture as a fine art has been with us forever. A powerful three-dimensional means of creative expression, sculpture has long been most frequently associated with religion — consider the limestone Great Sphinx in Giza, Egypt — while the tradition of collecting sculpture, which has also been traced back to Greece as well as to China, far precedes the emergence of museums.

Technique and materials in sculpture have changed over time. Stone sculpture, which essentially began as images carved into cave walls, is as old as human civilization itself. The majority of surviving sculpted works from ancient cultures are stone. Traditionally, this material and pottery as well as metal — bronze in particular — were among the most common materials associated with this field of visual art. Artists have long sought new ways and materials in order to make sculptures and express their ideas. Material, after all, is the vehicle through which artists express themselves, or at least work out the problems knocking around in their heads. It also allows them to push the boundaries of form, subverting our expectations and upending convention. As an influential sculptor as much as he was a revolutionary painter and printmaker, Pablo Picasso worked with everything from wire to wood to bicycle seats.

If you are a lover of art and antiques or are thinking of bringing a work of sculpture into your home for the first time, there are several details to keep in mind. As with all other works of art, think about what you like. What speaks to you? Visit local galleries and museums. Take in works of public art and art fairs when you can and find out what kind of sculpture you like. When you’ve come to a decision about a specific work, try to find out all you can about the piece, and if you’re not buying from a sculptor directly, work with an art expert to confirm the work’s authenticity.

And when you bring your sculpture home, remember: No matter how big or small your new addition is, it will make a statement in your space. Large- and even medium-sized sculptures can be heavy, so hire some professional art handlers as necessary and find a good place in your home for your piece. Whether you’re installing a towering new figurative sculpture — a colorful character by KAWS or hyperreal work by Carole A. Feuerman, perhaps — or an abstract work by Won Lee, you’ll want the sculpture to be safe from being knocked over. (You’ll find that most sculptures should be displayed at eye level, while some large busts look best from below.)

On 1stDibs, find a broad range of exceptional sculptures for sale. Browse works by your favorite creator, style, period or other attribute.