// James Rosenquist’s Somewhere to Light (1966) is a vibrant color screen-print that captures the Pop Art aesthetic of the 1960s. The image features a woman’s joyful, upturned face framed within a glowing circular form, evoking a sense of radiance and celebration. The background, rendered in dreamy pink and blue hues, creates a soft, ethereal atmosphere. The addition of the text WACO TEXAS suggests a cultural or geographical reference, grounding the work within a specific American context. Rosenquist, known for his billboard-style art and iconic imagery, uses this print to blend commercial aesthetics with elements of personal expression, capturing a moment that feels both intimate and larger than life.
Mel Ramos (United States, 1935–2018) was a prominent American Pop artist renowned for his vibrant paintings that juxtaposed female nudes with consumer goods, such as candy bars and soft drinks. His work satirized the commodification of the female body in advertising, blending realism with abstract elements. Ramos's art is celebrated for its bold commentary on popular culture.
Silkscreen Silkscreen is a printmaking method that uses a screen made of silk or other mesh fabric. The screen is treated with a substance that blocks ink in certain areas, allowing ink to pass through only in the desired sections. Each color in the print requires a separate screen.
// James Rosenquist’s Somewhere to Light (1966) is a vibrant color screen-print that captures the Pop Art aesthetic of the 1960s. The image features a woman’s joyful, upturned face framed within a glowing circular form, evoking a sense of radiance and celebration. The background, rendered in dreamy pink and blue hues, creates a soft, ethereal atmosphere. The addition of the text WACO TEXAS suggests a cultural or geographical reference, grounding the work within a specific American context. Rosenquist, known for his billboard-style art and iconic imagery, uses this print to blend commercial aesthetics with elements of personal expression, capturing a moment that feels both intimate and larger than life.
Mel Ramos (United States, 1935–2018) was a prominent American Pop artist renowned for his vibrant paintings that juxtaposed female nudes with consumer goods, such as candy bars and soft drinks. His work satirized the commodification of the female body in advertising, blending realism with abstract elements. Ramos's art is celebrated for its bold commentary on popular culture.
I try to work every day, even when I'm not motivated. Ritual is very important to me.
- Mel Ramos
Specialising primarily in depictions of the nude female form, Mel Ramos was a figurative painter whose works also incorporated the elements of pop, realism and abstract art. Alongside fellow artists, Warhol and Lichtenstein, Ramos sought inspiration from such sources as Wonder Woman and Superman comic books while growing up and later was drawn to referencing pin-ups and popular brands; his resulting works often featured absurd images such as a nude woman draped across a chocolate bar, as exhibited in his Toblerone Tess piece – these works are often seen to be a nod to the way capitalism has monopolised the female body. Of his often-controversial works, Ramos stated “I make sure that my works are not too erotic and that they always have a trace of humour...either you understand it or not.” (Artist website)
Comic strip art refers to artwork that utilizes the subject matter and commercial printing techniques found in comic strips. In the 1960s, a group of artists began creating paintings that incorporated Ben-Day dots—commonly used in comics and advertising—to produce highly graphic designs in bright colors, using traditional art media.