Smoker Banner 1971

Tom Wesselmann made this banner of a smoker using wood, and I imagine him cutting and piecing together the wood shapes like a puzzle. The stark planes of color and flat surfaces, recall the look of early twentieth century Cubism and collage. But Wesselmann pushes it into the realm of Pop Art with the brashness of his color choices. Check out those teeth! I can imagine Wesselmann in his studio, puzzling over how to get those voluptuous red lips just right. He probably went back and forth, sanding, painting, and layering until they had that perfect lusciousness. And the smoke – it rises in these creamy swirls, a kind of surreal presence. Like Philip Guston, he's able to make images that speak to the times, to the joy and anxiety of being alive in a particular culture. Painting, for these guys, is an ongoing conversation.