14"x11" + 11"x14" (Pair) ($180) | 10"x8" + 8"x10" (Pair) ($120) | 20"x16" + 16"x20" (Pair) ($240) | 24"x20" + 20"x24" (Pair) ($2,400)
On the occasion of the publishing of his new monograph, Paintings, William Wegman currently has two exhibitions on view in NYC, neither of which feature his infamous dog photographs. Delightful as those photos may be (very delightful!) they only scratch at the surface of Bill’s exquisitely multidisciplinary practice.
We here at 20x200 have long been infatuated with the full scope of Bill’s work. People think of him as the dog guy and don’t even know that he’s an artist with a broader practice. The moment I set foot in his studio I knew we needed to make sure our collectors learned all about his films, drawings and paintings. That’s why our very first release with Bill back in 2010 was presented — and sold — as a pair.
10"x8" ($50) | 14"x11" ($90)
It was such an honor to be able to present that work, and all the editions we’ve done with Bill since. More recently, his Letters series put our focus on his extensive use of video, and the release of Roller Rover the year prior gave us a chance to talk about how his deceptively accessible work is actual a portal in the oft-intimidating world of conceptual art.
As much as I love all of his prodigious and varied output, it’s the paintings that are nearest and dearest to my heart. Like the photography, their easy appeal — bright colors! vintage postcards! flashes of humor! — is a step along the way to something much deeper. As Bill said at a recent talk at The Strand, when making paintings, there is the heavy weight of all art history upon one’s shoulders. Look longer, and you’ll see that Bill has studied that history closely, and that his work contains myriad references to it.
10"x8" ($60) | 14"x11" ($120) | 20"x16" ($600) | 24"x20" ($1,200)
A few of us tore ourselves away from the office to attend the opening of Bill’s show — the first in ten years exclusively devoted to his painting — at Sperone Westwater. It’s a magnificent space and that evening a subdued but convivial crowd wandered up, down and around it, admiring Bill’s work as he politely chatted with well-wishers. (An impressive feat in and of itself, as Bill’s not a stand-around-and-chat kind of guy.) It was a special thing to be there that evening, and I found myself a bit damp-eyed amidst all, overjoyed at this gallery full of people celebrating the full scope of Bill’s amazing practice.
With art for everyone,
Jen Bekman
