Excerpt taken from the MET's statement:
His devotion to the figure, his embrace of expressionism, his fusion of modern and classical sources, and his commitment to social justice distinguish his practice as an artist.
Alongside the monumental, terrifying Gigantomachy II, Leon Golub: Raw Nerve features paintings from the artist's most important series.... that represent subjects of longstanding interest to the artist, from mercenaries, interrogators, and the victims of violence to political figures, nudes, and animals, all of them rendered in the raw, visceral style for which he is justly celebrated.
Together, these paintings attest to Golub's incisive perspective on the catastrophes that afflict human civilization and his critique of brutality and belligerent masculinity. The artist's work has much to teach us in the twenty-first century, as does his belief in the ethical responsibility of artists.
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detail, Two Black Women and a White Man, 1986, acrylic on linen, 120 x 163 inches |
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detail, Two Black Women and a White Man, 1986, acrylic on linen, 120 x 163 inches |
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Two Black Women and a White Man, 1986, acrylic on linen, 120 x 163 inches |
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Installation view at the MET |
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The Conversation, 1990, acrylic on linen, 92 x 170 inches |
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Colossal Torso III, 1960, lacquer on canvas, 82 x 96 inches |
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Tete de Chevall II, 1963, acrylic on canvas, 81 x 81 inches |
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Combat I, 1970, offset lithograph |
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detail, Gigantomachy II, 1966, acrylic on linen, 9 x 24 feet |
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detail, Gigantomachy II, 1966, acrylic on linen, 9 x 24 feet |
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detail, Gigantomachy II, to show scale |
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Gigantomachy II, 1966, acrylic on linen, 9 x 24 feet |
Leon Golub (1922-2004) was married to artist Nancy Spero (1926-2009)
Further looking and reading:
The Canvas takes Shape, on Youtube
The Paris Review
Leon Golub: Raw Nerve
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Champ de Bataille, 1965, oil on canvas, 91 x 66 inches |
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Leon Golub in his studio |
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detail, Vietnam II, 1973, acrylic on canvas, 9 x 37 feet |
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Riot I, Lithograph |
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The Go-ahead, 1986, acrylic on canvas, 120 x 192 inches |