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Maggie's Brain

A work made of enamel on aluminum.

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  • A work made of enamel on aluminum.

Date:

1995

Artist:

Christopher Wool
American, born 1955

About this artwork

Since the 1980s Christopher Wool has critically examined the complexities of abstraction and representation through the use of techniques, processes, images, and language taken from popular and vernacular culture. In his reconsideration of the process of painting, Wool has expanded upon the conventions of the medium, employing dripping, overpainting, and erasure with techniques associated with printing and language production, as well as silkscreen and spray paint. In Maggie’s Brain, the aluminum support is silkscreened, overpainted with white, silkscreened a second time, and then topped with an explosive, floral-like spray in the center. Multiple references—from the allover compositions of Abstract Expressionism to the cool, silkscreened surfaces of Pop Art—reflect Wool’s engagement with the history of painting.

Status

On View, Gallery 294

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Christopher Wool

Title

Maggie's Brain

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1995

Medium

Enamel on aluminum

Dimensions

274.3 × 182.9 cm (108 × 72 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Society for Contemporary Art

Reference Number

1996.399

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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