Maquette for Monica and Matisse Interior with Phonograph 1994

Tom Wesselmann made this cool relief, Maquette for Monica and Matisse Interior with Phonograph, using cut-out shapes to build the image. It's like he's riffing on Matisse's interiors but with a playful, pop-art twist. I can imagine him in his studio, shuffling around shapes, trying out different combos, and maybe listening to some groovy tunes. There's a definite flatness to it, but it also pops out at you, right? Like a crazy, graphic collage. The textures are all implied, but I bet he really enjoyed playing with the contrast between the bright colors and the clean lines. It makes me wonder what Monica was thinking while she posed among all those colors. It also reminds me of other artists who play with interiority and decoration, like David Hockney or maybe even some of the early modernists. You know, it's all one big conversation!