ROY LICHTENSTEIN, LANDSCAPE 7, LANDSCAPES, MOONSCAPES AND SEASCAPES, SCREEN PRINT WITH MYLAR COLLAGE ON COMPOSITION BOARD, EDITION OF 100, 1967
In the mid-1960s, Roy Lichtenstein put his renowned comic book motifs on hold. Instead, the artist began exploring the formal qualities of landscape painting. He worked on his Landscapes, Moonscapes and Seascapes for over three decades. As part of this extensive project, Lichtenstein completed several autonomous portfolios. His Ten Landscapes of 1967 constitute a masterful transformation of landscape imagery.
Landscape 7 belongs to the aforementioned ten-part suite. The print presents a graphic superimposition of shapes, defined by Lichtenstein’s characteristic formal vocabulary. The work’s abstracted terrain is constituted by black and white dots and a bright yellow colour field. A silver arch is pasted across the middle of the composition.
Despite its simplicity, Landscape 7 has a potent visual impact. The landscape seeks out familiar forms and condenses them into purely associative shapes. Lichtenstein ultimately conjures an alternative reality, similar to the dreamscapes of his Surrealist series.
The artist employs plastic sheets of Mylar in Landscape 7, utilising the shimmery and free-form attributes of the synthetic fabric to mimic changing light. Lichtenstein’s quest to create illusionistic effects using experimental materials continued throughout his career. For instance, he pursued comparable plays on perception and reflectivity in his intricate Mirrors and later Water Lilies.
Read more about Landscapes, Moonscapes and Seascapes by Roy Lichtenstein.
ABOUT ROY LICHTENSTEIN
Born in Manhattan in 1923, Roy Lichtenstein was a leading figure in the Pop Art movement during the second half of the 20th century. His distinctive artistic style is inspired by the visual language of consumerism and advertising that pervaded American popular culture at the time, and his work recalls a society of widespread commercialism that has remained powerfully relevant to this day. Learn more about Roy Lichtenstein.
