First published 2019
Artist Nate Lowman transforms studio drop cloths into paintings shaped like individual US states. This catalog documents his Maps series, featuring 22 works that reimagine America through paint splatters and stains accumulated on his studio floor. Lowman cuts fragments of these paint-soaked cloths into state silhouettes, creating what he calls Pop art as recognizable as Mickey Mouse. Each piece combines accidental marks with deliberate craft, referencing American quilting traditions and Pop art history. The paintings merge chance gestures with political commentary, exploring contemporary America's shifting mood. Alexander presents full-color reproductions alongside poetry and prose excerpts from John Berryman, Langston Hughes, Francis Scott Key, Emma Lazarus, and Malcolm R. Mooney. His introductory essay includes interview material where Lowman reflects on America's political climate. The artist questions whether the nation has moved from optimism to pessimism, concluding that America remains a pendulum destined to swing between extremes.
Genres: art, contemporary, 21st-century, art-history
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: America, United States
Period: 21st-century
72 pages · Hardcover · Gagosian Gallery