Elena Rossi
Edward Ralph Kienholz (1927-1994) was an American installation artist and assemblage sculptor whose work was highly critical of aspects of modern life. His paintings from 1954 through 1956 evince a traditional abstraction, incorporating other pieces of material to create innovative reliefs. In 1957, a turning point came in his decision to use referential images in developed narratives. One of his paintings, titled 'George Warshington in Drag', was created in 1957.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Edward Kienholz |
| Date | 1957 |
| Medium | Oil on wood and plywood |
| Dimensions | 38 1/4 x 42 in. (97.2 x 106.7 cm) |
| Collection | The Menil Collection, Houston, TX |
| Description | A mocking image of George Washington, the "father" of the United States, as a cross-dresser, with female attributes under a broken red, white, and blue arch. The misspelling of "Washington" points towards Kienholz's low respect for the "founding father". |
| Technique | Two-dimensional picture with referential images in a developed narrative |
| Themes | Satire, anti-establishment, criticism of American culture and politics, gender |
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What You'll Learn
Edward Kienholz's early life and career
Edward Ralph Kienholz was born on October 23, 1927, in Fairfield, Washington, near the Washington-Idaho border. He grew up on a wheat farm with his farming family, who expected him to become a rancher. As a child, Kienholz learned carpentry, drafting, and mechanical skills. He also played the French horn in the school band and was active in sports, winning letters in baseball, basketball, and football.
Kienholz attended Eastern Washington College of Education but left after a semester and a half to study briefly at a few other colleges in the West. During this time, he worked various jobs to support himself, including in a hospital, as a dance band manager, a used car salesman, a caterer, a decorator, and a vacuum cleaner salesman. In 1953, he settled in El Paso, Texas, where he created semi-abstract paintings influenced by Miró before moving into a more abstract style.
In 1956, Kienholz opened the NOW Gallery in Los Angeles, where he became involved with the avant-garde art scene. That same year, he met Walter Hopps, owner of the Syndell Gallery. In 1957, Kienholz created "George Warshington in Drag," a turning point in his artistic career, as he began to use referential images in developed narratives to critique American culture and politics. This work marked the beginning of his long battle criticizing the United States as a cultural and political entity.
Throughout his career, Kienholz became known for his innovative use of found objects in his assemblages, incorporating them into elaborate three-dimensional tableaux and installations. He addressed taboo topics such as abortion, racism, hate crimes, prostitution, and casual sex, often employing a grotesque and unsettling style. In the early 1970s, he received a grant to work in Berlin, creating works based on Volksempfängers (fixed-channel radio receiving apparatus from Nazi Germany). He also collaborated with his fifth wife, Nancy Reddin, an artist in her own right, from 1972 onwards.
Kienholz died suddenly on June 10, 1994, in Hope, Idaho, from a heart attack after hiking in the mountains near his home. His funeral was staged as his final tableau, as he was buried in his old Packard car on a mountain in Idaho, with personal items accompanying him, including a deck of cards, a bottle of vintage Chianti, and the ashes of his dog.
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'George Warshington in Drag' as a turning point
Edward Kienholz, born in 1927 in Fairfield, Washington, was an artist known for his unique artistic language and expression of ugliness. In 1957, Kienholz created "George Warshington in Drag", a painting that marked a turning point in his artistic career and became a significant work within his oeuvre.
Prior to 1957, Kienholz's paintings displayed a vigorous yet traditional abstraction, often incorporating wood and other materials to create innovative reliefs. However, with "George Warshington in Drag", Kienholz introduced a new element to his artistic practice by using referential images in developed narratives. This painting, in particular, is an early example of Kienholz's critique of the United States as a cultural and political entity. The work depicts a mocking image of George Washington, the "father" of the nation, as a cross-dresser, with female attributes under a broken red, white, and blue arch. The deliberate misspelling of "Washington" further emphasizes the artist's low regard for this "founding father".
The painting also marks a shift in Kienholz's early abstract relief paintings, as he began to introduce shapes clustered into units that formed centralized shapes, creating a figure against a background. This evolution in his artistic style signified a growing need in him for figurative representation. The use of entire objects found in city junkyards, a technique influenced by his early life and skills in carpentry, further sets his work apart.
"George Warshington in Drag" is significant as it encapsulates Kienholz's desire to challenge societal norms and conventions, particularly in his criticism of a revered figure like George Washington. This work exemplifies Kienholz's belief in the combination of technical know-how, moral anger, and an "all-American yawp". By presenting Washington in drag, Kienholz provocatively questioned and reinterpreted traditional notions of American identity and masculinity.
In conclusion, "George Warshington in Drag" serves as a turning point in Kienholz's artistic trajectory, marking his transition from traditional abstraction to the incorporation of referential images and narratives. This work not only showcases his technical skills and innovative use of materials but also highlights his willingness to confront societal norms and express his moral anger through art.
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Kienholz's artistic style and influences
Edward Kienholz was born in 1927 in Fairfield, Washington, near the Washington-Idaho border. He grew up on his family's farm and was expected to become a rancher. However, he had a natural interest in art and an inclination toward fixing things. He learned basic skills in carpentry, metalworking, and mechanics, which would later become integral to his artistic practice.
Kienholz's early work from the 1950s consisted of relief paintings created by nailing scraps of wood to a support and spreading industrial paint across their surfaces with a broom. These "broom paintings" were exercises in a non-artistic territory, a region of "ugliness". He believed that if he "could make something really ugly", it would help him "understand beauty". The unusual colour of these paintings—a rich, murky brown with a single bright orange or yellow patch—was prompted by Kienholz's encounter with a painting by San Francisco artist Julius Wasserstein in the early 1950s.
By the mid-1950s, Kienholz began to incorporate referential images into his work, marking a shift toward developed narratives. "George Warshington in Drag" (1957) is an example of this transition, as it critiques the United States as a cultural and political entity by depicting the "father" of the country as a cross-dresser. The painting also demonstrates Kienholz's construction in mass, where shapes are clustered into units that form a centralised figure against a background.
In the late 1950s, Kienholz's work evolved into freestanding, three-dimensional assemblages, and by the early 1960s, he was creating large-scale, life-sized sculptural installations called "tableaux". These installations often incorporated found or discarded materials and addressed themes such as war, crime, sexuality, religion, and racism. Kienholz's artistic style and collaborations during this period were influenced by his involvement with the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, which he co-founded in 1957, and his participation in the local art scene.
In the 1960s, Kienholz was introduced to European artists such as Arman, Jean Tinguely, and Yves Klein, whose work had a profound influence on his practice. He also began to travel between Germany and the United States, and the tumultuous postwar environment of the fractured German Republic deeply influenced his work, leading him to explore themes of war, fascism, and oppression.
Kienholz's artistic style was characterised by his use of found objects, immersive installations, and innovative combinations of technical know-how, moral anger, and an "all-American yawp". His work often critiqued modern life and reflected his concern with the transformations wrought by time.
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Kienholz's critical view of American life
Edward Kienholz, born in 1927 in Fairfield, Washington, was an American artist who developed a distinctive artistic language that critiqued various aspects of American life. He grew up during the Great Depression and learned carpentry, metalworking, and mechanics. His early work from the 1950s included relief paintings created by nailing scraps of wood together and applying industrial paint with a broom.
One of Kienholz's notable works, "George Warshington in Drag" (1957), is an early example of his critical perspective on the United States as a cultural and political entity. The painting depicts George Washington, the "father" of the country, as a cross-dresser, with female attributes under a broken red, white, and blue arch. The deliberate misspelling of "Washington" further emphasizes Kienholz's low regard for this "founding father." This work marked a turning point in his artistic career, as he began to incorporate referential images into developed narratives.
Kienholz's artwork frequently sparked controversy due to its explicit content and political nature. His assemblages and installations often depicted violence, sex, and political hypocrisy, challenging societal norms and prompting discussions about the role of art in addressing these topics. Despite the infrequent retrospectives of his work due to logistical challenges, Kienholz's artistic legacy continues to be examined and discussed for its impact on the understanding of post-World War II American art.
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Kienholz's legacy and impact on art
Edward Kienholz was an American installation artist and sculptor whose work was highly critical of contemporary social and political issues in 20th-century America. His work was often deemed grotesque and unsettling, addressing taboo topics such as abortion, racism, hate crimes, and casual sex. Kienholz's work has been described as having a "vigorous though somewhat traditional abstraction." He employed innovative techniques, such as painting on wood and creating relief sculptures using discarded objects.
Kienholz's unique artistic style and his willingness to confront challenging subjects have had a lasting impact on the art world. He is recognized for his significant contributions to the development of postwar sculptural practices and the Los Angeles avant-garde movement. Kienholz was instrumental in establishing galleries like the NOW Gallery and the Ferus Gallery, which became pivotal venues for emerging artists and poets. His work inspired and influenced other artists, including Leon Golub, Sue Coe, Michael McMillen, and Roland Reiss.
Kienholz's legacy is also evident in his collaboration with his wife, Nancy Reddin Kienholz, who played a crucial role in the conceptualization and fabrication of his later works. Their joint artistic estate continued to be administered by Nancy after his death in 1994, ensuring their art remained accessible and exhibited. While their work was initially more appreciated in Europe, American museums have featured the Kienholzes' art more prominently since the 1990s, including a major retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1996.
Despite the infrequent retrospectives of Kienholz's work due to the challenges of assembling his large-scale installations, his impact on art is undeniable. His ability to combine technical skills with moral anger and social commentary left an enduring mark on the artistic landscape, challenging viewers and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression. Kienholz's funeral in 1994, staged as his final tableau, reflected his unique artistic vision even in death.
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Frequently asked questions
Edward Kienholz painted George Warshington in Drag in 1957.
George Warshington in Drag was painted using oil on wood and plywood.
George Warshington in Drag measures 38 1/4 x 42 inches (97.2 x 106.7 cm).
Edward Kienholz's work has been described as satirical, anti-establishment, and critical of modern life, commenting on themes such as racism, aging, mental illness, sexual stereotypes, poverty, greed, corruption, imperialism, patriotism, and alienation. His work incorporated assemblage, collage, and installation art, often using everyday objects and found materials.
Edward Kienholz's works are held in the collections of several museums in the United States, including the Bowers Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
