“Realist painting has to do with leaving out a lot of detail. I think my painting can be a little shocking in all that it leaves out. But what happens is that the mind fills in what’s missing. (…) Painting is a way of making you see what I saw.” – Alex Katz

The American painter, sculptor and printmaker Alex Katz developed his stylized aesthetic in reaction to Abstract Expressionism of the 1950s. His bright figurative paintings typically depict two-dimensional landscapes, marine scenes, flowers, humans or animals. Widely recognized for his role as a precursor to the Pop Art movement, Alex Katz takes cues from everyday visual culture like advertising and cinema. Katz began experimenting with printmaking in the 1950s, which soon evolved to be a central aspect of his artistic practice. In addition to his large-scale paintings, Katz’ oeuvre encompasses a range of print editions employing a variety of techniques, including silkscreens, linoleum cuts, lithographs and etchings. American, b. 1927, New York, based in New York.

Alex Katz, Straw Hat 1