Chris Evert 1974

Editor: This is LeRoy Neiman's "Chris Evert," an oil painting from 1974. The colors are so vibrant and energetic; it almost feels like the painting is in motion with her! How would you interpret this work? Curator: Well, I'm immediately drawn to the materiality. The visible brushstrokes, the layering of oil paint, it’s about the *making* of the image as much as the image itself. Neiman, working in 1974, is participating in a lineage, grappling with painting's status in a media saturated landscape. Look at how he renders the figure—almost secondary to the expressive gesture. What labor is on display here? Editor: I see what you mean. The figure sort of emerges from the background. Is that meant to question the typical figure/ground relationship, maybe even blurring the line between high art and something more…commercial, like illustration? Curator: Exactly. He is interested in painting’s means of production: the brush, the canvas, the pigment. In thinking about “commercial” applications – isn't he almost mass producing "original" artworks in the realm of celebrity portraiture? Is that celebrity part of the commodity on display? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn’t considered the "celebrity" aspect as a raw material too. Does this painting say something about the spectacle of sports? Curator: Precisely! Neiman captured sporting events for a mass audience. The bold colours and dynamic brushwork become a shorthand for the excitement and spectacle of professional tennis. Now consider, how is Neiman's own persona as a "celebrity artist" interwoven into this commodity exchange? Editor: I get it! It is not just about painting a portrait, it's about commodifying energy, fame, and even the artist’s own identity. I hadn't considered that. Curator: Thinking through the material and the modes of production really does change how you see it, doesn’t it? Editor: It completely does. Thanks for illuminating that for me.