‘Pop Art: From Warhol to Panamarenko’ at S.M.A.K, Ghent, Belgium from November 27, 2021 to May 8, 2022

The exhibition ‘POP ART: from Warhol to Panamarenko’, on show at S.M.A.K. Ghent captures the explosive exuberance of Pop.
The show features two Great American Nudes by Tom Wesselmann. Great American Nude #72 (1965) is a postmodern take on Manet’s Olympia. Rather than conforming to the confines of a square canvas, Wesselmann’s cut-out silhouette takes the form of a woman’s body. The artwork is a study in simplification; paring down the subject to the most basic, sexualized elements; bikini tan lines, red lipstick smile, and blonde pixie haircut. Wesselmann had a deep admiration for the work of Henri Matisse and Great American Nude #72 evokes the Papiers Découpés Matisse produced in his twilight years.