Lari Pittman

I choose to research Lari Pittman after I came across one of his paintings done in 1994, “Untitled #32 (A Decorated Chronology of Insistence and Resignation).”  He used acrylic, enamel, and glitter on panel.

 I choose this painting to research because I found it very unusual and didn’t quite understand what the painting meant.  I thought the painting was hard to understand when I didn’t know anything about the artist or his artwork.  Pittman’s inspiration comes from comercial advertising and folk art.  His process of painting is very unique.  He layers his paintings to create detailed and complex scenes.  His paintings are very different and make you think. Pittman’s work can mean various things for viewers.  “His paintings and drawings are a personal rebellion against rigid, puritanical dichotomies. They demonstrate the complementary nature of beauty and suffering, pain and pleasure, and direct the viewer’s attention to bittersweet experiences and the value of sentimentality in art.” (pbs.org).

This painting intrigued me because I included so much symbolism. For me the painting represented the negative side of money in our culture.  My impression of the painting was that it was a reflection of the importance of money in today’s society, and how it shapes our lives negatively. There are many images layered on top of one another, but what stood out at me was female eyes, red hand with pink nails and blood dripping down, four women, hair, two credit cards, arrows, “look! Haley’s Comet.,” “R.I.P.,” crowns, and two roses.  After I learned more about the artist and studied the painting more the images came together and the painting made much more sense.   

 

"For me, craft has always been an ideological component in the work because it’s about a type of focus and social comportment that usually isn’t expected of a male. There’s a dutifulness that historically has been referenced or attributed to females, so I’ve always seen my devotion to craft as a type of protest."

-       Lari Pittman

Pittman was born and resides in Los Angeles, California.   

Mia Powers