“Gravy for the Navy” is a 1975 artwork created by Peter Phillips, a prominent figure in the Pop Art movement. This figurative piece exhibits the defining characteristics of Pop Art with its bold and vibrant elements.
The artwork showcases a striking, geometric black-and-white background comprised of repeated diamond shapes, creating a visually stimulating pattern. In the foreground, there is a skillfully rendered grayscale image of a reclining female figure, which is accentuated with bold, black, chain-like shapes superimposed over her body. Multicolored, capsule-shaped objects are scattered across the composition, introducing dynamic bursts of color that contrast with the monochrome background and figure. The overall composition merges elements of commercial art and popular culture, emblematic of the Pop Art movement’s aim to blur the boundaries between high art and mass media.
