We rose up slowly 1964

Roy Lichtenstein made ‘We rose up slowly’ with oil on canvas. The approach to mark making here is all about precision. Now, look at the couple, they’re submerged in a dreamy, watery world. The vertical lines of pink filling their faces are so suggestive. The paint is flat and opaque, and while he's hiding the physical process, it's all about texture. The contrast between the bold black outlines and the soft pink is really striking. It is so clean and graphic. Then, there’s the text panel on the left, all those words. I think of Ed Ruscha and his text-based works. Lichtenstein's piece isn't just about visual representation, it’s about language and how that interacts with the imagery. He's having a conversation with art history, but he's also creating something totally new and kind of elusive.