Philip Guston, born in 1913 in Montreal, Canada, was a renowned abstract expressionist artist. His works were widely viewed and widely discussed by the art world. In 1950, Guston moved to Manhattan York and really began to make a name for himself. Outstanding examples of his early works include the 1975 painting called Head. This large-scale painting is unequivocally abstract and expressionist in style, featuring an organized mixture of shapes, colors, and textures that represent chaos and drama on one hand with exquisite abstraction on the other.
Guston’s style later moved away from pure abstraction towards figuration as well as satire. An excellent example of his later works is the 1976 painting entitled Green Rug. The image gave viewers a literal representation of Guston’s work with a modern humorous spin: there are three people standing in front of a green rug with hidden parts that seem to be emerging from within the rug itself – quite unlike his previous abstract paintings! Color dominates this painting once again winding up adding depth and texture in whole new way.
Philip Guston was a unique artist who progressed from abstract expressionism to figuration while also mixing satire into his works. His 1975 painting “Head” caught the attention of many art critics around the world, while “Green Rug” further enhanced Guston’s popularity by providing viewers with an exciting visual interpretation of his ideas through imagery filled with energy and creativity.
