Vincent Pepi
Encyclopedia
Vincent Pepi is an abstract expressionist painter
associated with the New York School
. His contribution to American art
includes some of the foremost examples of action painting
, produced consistently over the course of the second half of the 20th century. His art parallels the works of Jackson Pollock
, Willem de Kooning
, Franz Kline
, Conrad Marca-Relli
and others. He adapted the automatic techniques of the Surrealists and transformed it into his own kind of gesture painting.
and Pratt Institute
. He traveled to Africa
and Mexico
. In 1949 he went to Rome
, Italy
. This was the same time that the Abstract Expressionist movement
began in New York City
. Three years later, in 1951, Pepi joined with many of the innovators of Action Painting
in New York City. Upon his return to the United States
, Pepi studied briefly with Hans Hofmann
. Along with other first generation abstract expressionists, he showed his work at the Stable Gallery
in 1953 and at the March Gallery on Tenth Street, from 1955 until its closing in 1960.
Pepi attended the "Artists' Club"
from time to time, but preferred his own studio and a more solitary existence. A graphics business which he created permitted him to live and paint while freeing him from the necessity of regularly exhibiting his work. His choice to live in Italy from 1949–51, during a crucial time in the formation of the New York School, as well as his preference for painting in a consistently smaller format, may have obscured the recognition and fame that otherwise might have been his.
The artist's acknowledged sources range from old masters to the Futurists
(especially Boccioni and Balla
): from Klee
and Kandinsky to Matta
, Gorky
and Pepi's contemporaries. His academically trained teacher in Italy, Beppe Guzzi, helped him to incorporate rigorous discipline into his painting, as well as introducing him to a number of important Italian painters and sculptors. Like Pollock and other Abstract Expressionists he admires, Pepi has always loved music, particularly jazz, going as far as learning to play the tenor saxophone. Color and music appear parallel to him: the artist/ musician improvises with both. And so it follows that Pepi's own automatic painting and line poems" are reminiscent of works by Paul Klee, with the latter's powerful equations of color, line and music.
Pepi defines himself as an academic artist, but one who felt he had to take that "main highway between Cezanne and Kandinsky". His paintings do indeed, reveal a Cézanne-like underpinning of abstract structure, while adopting the free improvisatory phase of Kandinsky at the same time. It is the revelation of the unconscious that Pepi seeks in his work. He wants his work to be spontaneous and uncontrived.
This biography was realized from the writings of Greta Berman, Author
, Art
Historian
, Juilliard School of Music, New York.
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
associated with the New York School
New York School
The New York School was an informal group of American poets, painters, dancers, and musicians active in the 1950s, 1960s in New York City...
. His contribution to American art
American Art
American Art is the debut album of the band Weatherbox. It was released on May 8, 2007 on Doghouse Records. The album received critical acclaim from several sources including underground music distribution company Smartpunk, who lauded the band's style:...
includes some of the foremost examples of action painting
Action painting
Action painting sometimes called "gestural abstraction", is a style of painting in which paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being carefully applied...
, produced consistently over the course of the second half of the 20th century. His art parallels the works of Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock
Paul Jackson Pollock , known as Jackson Pollock, was an influential American painter and a major figure in the abstract expressionist movement. During his lifetime, Pollock enjoyed considerable fame and notoriety. He was regarded as a mostly reclusive artist. He had a volatile personality, and...
, Willem de Kooning
Willem de Kooning
Willem de Kooning was a Dutch American abstract expressionist artist who was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands....
, Franz Kline
Franz Kline
Franz Jozef Kline was an American painter mainly associated with the Abstract Expressionist movement centered around New York in the 1940s and 1950s. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and attended Girard College, an academy in Philadelphia for fatherless boys...
, Conrad Marca-Relli
Conrad Marca-Relli
Conrad Marca-Relli was an American artist who belonged to the early generation of New York School Abstract Expressionist artists whose artistic innovation by the 1950s had been recognized across the Atlantic, including Paris...
and others. He adapted the automatic techniques of the Surrealists and transformed it into his own kind of gesture painting.
Biography
Vincent Pepi studied at Cooper UnionCooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
and Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
. He traveled to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 1949 he went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. This was the same time that the Abstract Expressionist movement
Art movement
An art movement is a tendency or style in art with a specific common philosophy or goal, followed by a group of artists during a restricted period of time, or, at least, with the heyday of the movement defined within a number of years...
began in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Three years later, in 1951, Pepi joined with many of the innovators of Action Painting
Action painting
Action painting sometimes called "gestural abstraction", is a style of painting in which paint is spontaneously dribbled, splashed or smeared onto the canvas, rather than being carefully applied...
in New York City. Upon his return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Pepi studied briefly with Hans Hofmann
Hans Hofmann
Hans Hofmann was a German-born American abstract expressionist painter.-Biography:Hofmann was born in Weißenburg, Bavaria on March 21, 1880, the son of Theodor and Franziska Hofmann. When he was six he moved with his family to Munich...
. Along with other first generation abstract expressionists, he showed his work at the Stable Gallery
Stable Gallery
The Stable Gallery, originally located on West 58th Street in New York, was founded in 1953 by Eleanor Ward. The Stable Gallery hosted early solo New York exhibitions for artists including Robert Indiana and Andy Warhol.-History:...
in 1953 and at the March Gallery on Tenth Street, from 1955 until its closing in 1960.
Pepi attended the "Artists' Club"
from time to time, but preferred his own studio and a more solitary existence. A graphics business which he created permitted him to live and paint while freeing him from the necessity of regularly exhibiting his work. His choice to live in Italy from 1949–51, during a crucial time in the formation of the New York School, as well as his preference for painting in a consistently smaller format, may have obscured the recognition and fame that otherwise might have been his.
The artist's acknowledged sources range from old masters to the Futurists
Futurists
Futurists or futurologists are scientists and social scientists whose speciality is to attempt to systematically predict the future, whether that of human society in particular or of life on earth in general....
(especially Boccioni and Balla
Balla
Balla is a village in County Mayo, Ireland on the N60 National secondary road, the main road between Castlebar and Claremorris. The economy of the village survives mainly on passing trade, from the busy N60 which carries over 7,000 vehicles through the village every day. The village is to be...
): from Klee
Klee
Klee , named after Paul Klee, is a German pop-band from Cologne.-Lineup 2002-2010 :* Suzie Kerstgens * Tom Deininger * Sten Servaes -Lineup 2010-present :...
and Kandinsky to Matta
Roberto Matta
Roberto Sebastián Antonio Matta Echaurren , better known as Roberto Matta, was one of Chile's best-known painters and a seminal figure in 20th century abstract expressionist and surrealist art....
, Gorky
Arshile Gorky
Arshile Gorky was an Armenian-born American painter who had a seminal influence on Abstract Expressionism. As such, his works were often speculated to have been informed by the suffering and loss he experienced of the Armenian genocide.-Early life:...
and Pepi's contemporaries. His academically trained teacher in Italy, Beppe Guzzi, helped him to incorporate rigorous discipline into his painting, as well as introducing him to a number of important Italian painters and sculptors. Like Pollock and other Abstract Expressionists he admires, Pepi has always loved music, particularly jazz, going as far as learning to play the tenor saxophone. Color and music appear parallel to him: the artist/ musician improvises with both. And so it follows that Pepi's own automatic painting and line poems" are reminiscent of works by Paul Klee, with the latter's powerful equations of color, line and music.
Pepi defines himself as an academic artist, but one who felt he had to take that "main highway between Cezanne and Kandinsky". His paintings do indeed, reveal a Cézanne-like underpinning of abstract structure, while adopting the free improvisatory phase of Kandinsky at the same time. It is the revelation of the unconscious that Pepi seeks in his work. He wants his work to be spontaneous and uncontrived.
This biography was realized from the writings of Greta Berman, Author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, Art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
Historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, Juilliard School of Music, New York.
External links
Books
- Marika Herskovic, New York School Abstract Expressionists Artists Choice by Artists, (New York School Press, 2000.) ISBN 0-9677994-0-6. p. 33; p. 38