Ann-Margret, Playboy 1965

LeRoy Neiman made this painting of Ann-Margaret, Playboy, with pretty bold brushstrokes and a striking red background. I can just imagine him in the studio, maybe jazz playing, as he laid down those confident swathes of paint. There’s this feeling of speed and energy, like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment. See how the pinks and reds blend to form her dress, and the loose strokes that suggest her hair? I wonder what he was thinking as he painted that gloved hand holding the bunny ears. Was it about power, humor, or maybe something else? It’s interesting to think about how painters, like Neiman, are always in dialogue with each other across time. His work makes me think of Elaine de Kooning’s portraits. There’s a similar sense of gesture and immediacy, right? In the end, painting is a way of feeling and thinking through the body, and it leaves space for all sorts of interpretations.