Lot 213B
James Michalopoulous (American, b. 1951). A captivating depiction of a female musician playing an accordion in New Orleans under a dramatic night sky with a full moon illuminating the scene by James Michalopoulos. All is delineated in Michalopoulos' abstract figurative style and a vibrant palette. Michalopoulos is a beloved New Orleans artist whose portraits have been featured on the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival poster seven times, more than any other artist! His art captures the spirit and creativity of the city with a unique expressive style. In Michalopoulos' words, " I like color, volumetric shape, and graphic lines. While one knows my subject one knows more fully the spirit of the subject, I take my liberties and express my emotions in a poetic interpretation." Size (sight view): 24.75" L x 18.75" W (62.9 cm x 47.6 cm) Size (frame): 34" L x 28" W (86.4 cm x 71.1 cm)
About the artist: James Michalopoulos is a self-taught artist whose name has become synonymous with the New Orleans creative scene. The son of a modern architect who transformed downtown Pittsburgh, he was raised in a home full of art, including paintings by his uncle, the Surrealist William Baziotes. After graduating from Bowdoin College and pursuing a career in science and economics, he found himself in Washington DC and set up a studio in Dupont Circle. A plein air artist, Michalopoulos moved to New Orleans, so that he could continue to work during the winter. According to the Michalopoulos' website, "The city, and its 'Culture of Celebration,' held an intense appeal. Perhaps most importantly, it was affordable, enabling artists of all types to find a home. He began sketching artists and musicians, houses and street corners. Fascinated with the duality of beauty and decay, the architecture of the city became his muse. His portraits of shotgun houses and Creole cottages, captured in layer upon layer of thick impasto paint, brimmed with color and energy and captured the essence of his subject. This body of work established him as the most influential living artist in the region today."
As Art Director for the House of Blues Productions for six years and director of NBC's "In Concert" series as well as the Nice Jazz Festival, Michalopoulos became even more inspired to paint musical imagery. Impressively, his portraits have been featured on the prestigious New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival poster seven times, more than any other artist.
In the nineties, Europe called. Michalopoulos established a studio in Lausanne, Switzerland and exhibited his art there as will as in London, Berlin, and Geneva. A trip to France lured him to Provence and Burgundy. Today, Michalopoulos resides in both New Orleans and Burgundy. He is the founder of NoRo Artist Studios which offers affordable spaces for New Orleans artists. In addition, the Michalopoulos Foundation, fosters affordable housing for the younger generation's artists.
Artist Statement: "Elemental truth of/in my subject and life drives me. I am focused on the expression of the essentials - the force and essence of my subject. Highest and best is a representation that recreates the heart of the subject and its outward evident beauty or qualities. My style is an abstraction of the figurative. I like color, volumetric shape, and graphic lines. while one knows my subject one knows more fully the spirit of the subject. I take my liberties and express my emotions in a poetic interpretation." (Source: Michalopoulos website)
Provenance: private Lafayette, Colorado, USA collection
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#181424
- Condition: Mounted under glass in a custom frame. Artwork has not been examined outside the frame but appears to be excellent and signed at the lower left. Frame has a few scuffs but is intact and fit with suspension wire.
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