Sailboats 1985

Roy Lichtenstein made this large painting, Sailboats, with oil and magna paint on canvas. What strikes me is the way Lichtenstein's brushstrokes build a landscape, but they are also so obviously just marks. These brushstrokes form the shapes of sailboats, trees, and water, but they remain distinct, self-contained units of color and texture. See how the thick, bold lines create a sense of depth and movement? I find myself drawn to a specific area where a swirl of blues and whites mimics the motion of waves. It reminds me that painting is, at its core, about the act of applying paint. It’s like Lichtenstein is riffing on artists like Guston or de Kooning but with this pop art filter. It is a reminder that art doesn’t need to be so serious, it can be playful and fun. It can embrace ambiguity, different interpretations.