Born: November 29, 1933, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
Died: March 31, 2017, New York City, USA
Nationality: American
Style: Pop Art
Influences: Advertising, billboards, popular culture
"I'm interested in contemporary vision, the flicker of chrome, reflections, rapid associations, quick flashes of light. Bing-bang! I don't do anecdotes. I accumulate experiences."
Notable Artwork
F-111 (1964-65)
About James Rosenquist
Born: November 29, 1933, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA Died: March 31, 2017, New York City, USA Nationality: American Style: Pop Art Influences: Advertising, billboards, popular culture Major Exhibitions: “F-111” (1965), “President Elect” (1960-61/1964), “Star Thief” (1980) Quote: “I’m interested in contemporary vision, the flicker of chrome, reflections, rapid associations, quick flashes of light. Bing-bang! I don’t do anecdotes. I accumulate experiences.”
Notable Artwork: F-111 (1964-65)
This massive, room-sized painting combines fragmented images of a fighter jet, a girl under a hairdryer, a tire, spaghetti, and a mushroom cloud. The images are juxtaposed in a seemingly random, collage-like manner.
Significance
F-111 is a powerful statement about the relationship between war, consumerism, and American culture. The fragmented imagery and overwhelming scale create a sense of sensory overload, reflecting the bombardment of images in modern life. The work is a critique of the military-industrial complex and the Vietnam War.