LeRoy Neiman is one of the original Pop Artists – painting popular culture in bright colors. He served in WWII in France, became an art-professor at the Chicago Art Institute, and became wildly famous working with Playboy Magazine, painting Olympics & Sport images, and bringing Popular Culture to the art-realm.
The exhibition
This exhibition collection, featuring works from the Playboy Collection and The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, offers a unique glimpse into the vibrant and dynamic world of one of America's most prolific and beloved artists. Known for his bold use of color and energetic depictions of life, Neiman's work encapsulates the spirit of an era. His "Man at His Leisure" series (1958-74), created for Playboy magazine, remains one of his most iconic contributions, capturing the essence of leisure, luxury, and the human pursuit of pleasure in mid-20th-century America.
Ascot, 1971 ~Neiman personal collection~ mixed media on paper 9" x 11.75" ~Playboy Collection~ enamel and acrylic on board - 27" x 37" (30.5" x 40.5" framed) - courtesy Franklin Bowles Galleries - New York
LeRoy Neiman's collaboration with Playboy magazine began in 1958 and spanned nearly two decades, during which he produced a multitude of illustrations and artworks which were important factors that helped define the visual identity of the publication. Neiman's "Man at his Leisure" work for Playboy wasn't merely illustrative; it was a commentary on the societal changes and the burgeoning pop culture of the time. His depictions of men and women at leisure—whether lounging at the beach, savoring a fine meal, or engaging in sports—mirrored the aspirations and lifestyles that many readers of Playboy aspired to. These works are not only artistically significant but also culturally resonant, offering a lens through which we can view the evolving norms and values of the 1960s and 1970s.
As we delve into Neiman's "Man at His Leisure" series, it is essential to recognize the profound impact these works had on American pop culture. Neiman's vivid and expressive style brought to life the ideal of leisure, transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary visual experiences. His work helped shape the visual narrative of an entire generation, blending the boundaries between fine art and commercial illustration. This exhibition invites both seasoned art enthusiasts and newcomers to explore the synergy between Neiman's artistic prowess and his cultural commentary. By doing so, we celebrate not only the artist's remarkable career but also the enduring legacy of his contributions to the world of art and popular culture.
Jamaica, 1970 ~Playboy Collection~ enamel and acrylic on board - 27" x 37" (30.5" x 40.5" framed) - courtesy Franklin Bowles Galleries - New York... read the rest of the article»
LeRoy Neiman, pop artist
At the forefront of the POP art movement, LeRoy Neiman had a two person show with Andy Warhol in 1971 at LACMA, The Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art.
Popular subject matter, such as sports, horses and restaurants, became fine-art through LeRoy Neiman's innovative bright, fauvist style. By the 1980's Neiman become so famous, sports art almost always references his technique even to this day. The artist died in 2012 and his sports, entertainment and horse paintings are especially sought after. Museums around the world actively collect Neiman's art as the innovator of action painting, and as a window into world culture through the second half of the 20th Century. The artist's work is in The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois among others, a list follows. History will remember LeRoy Neiman well.
LeRoy Neiman, Vladimir Horowitz, 1968, Oil on board, 31.5 x 34.25 in. - courtesy Franklin Bowles Galleries - New York
Biographical Notes
LeRoy Neiman
(American, 1921-2012)
LeRoy Neiman was in the first wave of pop-artists along with Wayne Thiebaud, Red Grooms, Peter Max, & Andy Warhol. Popular subject matter, such as sports, celebrities, restaurants, pretty women and fast cars, the artist died in 2012. LeRoy Neiman was the official artist for five Olympiads, the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Kentucky Derby, championship boxing, PGA and The Masters golf tournament, The Ryder Cup, the World Equestrian Games, Wimbledon and other Grand Slam competitions, as well as night life, entertainment, jazz and the world of casino gambling.
Museums around the world collect Neiman's art, not only because of his pop-art legacy, but as an innovator of action painting. His art is a window into world culture through the second half of the 20th Century. The artist's work is in The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois among others, a list follows. History will remember LeRoy Neiman well.
From the Smithsonian Archive:
LeRoy Neiman has been described as the most popular living painter in America. While strikingly original, his work reflects the varied influences of Toulouse-Lautrec, Dufy, the New York Social Realists, and the Abstract Expressionists. Probably best known as a portrayer of sporting and social events, he virtually invented the modern genre of sports art and remains its most accomplished and acclaimed practitioner.
Museums and Public Collections
- Anchorage Historical and Fine Arts Museum, Anchorage, Alaska
- Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
- Baltimore Museum of Fine Art, Baltimore, Maryland
- Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, New York
- Brooks Memorial Art Gallery, Memphis, Tennessee
- Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware
- Duke University Museum of Art, Durham, North Carolina
- Elder Art Gallery, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Nebraska
- Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Football Hall of Fame, Canton, Ohio
- Grunwald Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- The Armand Hammer Collection, Los Angeles, California
- Harding Museum, Chicago, Illinois
- Hayward Museum, Hayward, California
- Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois
- Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Joslyn Museum, Omaha, Nebraska
- Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, New York
- Meridian Museum of Art, Meridian, Mississippi
- Michigan State University, Kesage Art Center Gallery, East Lansing, Michigan
- Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, Indiana
- Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Minnesota Historical Society
- Minnesota Museum of Art, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Mobile Art Gallery and Museum, Mobile, Alabama
- Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela
- Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
- National Museum of Sport in Art, New York, New York
- New York Public Library New York, New York
- Niagara University, Niagara, New York
- Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Maine
- Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, Massachusetts
- Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, Rhode Island
- Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona
- Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota
- University Art Gallery, Binghampton, New York
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
- University of Texas, Austin, Texas
- Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Whitney Museum, New York
- Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas
- Wadham College, Oxford, England
- Yuma Fine Arts Association, Yuma, Arizona
More info: franklinbowlesgallery.com/neiman-2024-1
Redazione / Editorial staff
Published on August 12, 2024
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