Electric Harlequin
Electric Harlequin
Signed Print
George Condo
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73 x 58cm, Edition of 70, Lithograph
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Meaning & Analysis
This lithograph print by George Condo presents an abstract depiction of a harlequin. It uses a broad colour palette including greens, purples, reds, and blues to convey the identity of the harlequin. It is signed in the bottom right.
George Condo’s Electric Harlequin may be best understood in the wider context of his oeuvre. The viewer is presented with an abstract image that faces frontally. It is slightly off centre and adopts a human-like appearance. However, typically for Condo, the features of the harlequin are distorted. The teeth of the figure are prominent in his face. This is reminiscent of Condo’s portrait of Kanye West. The ears and the ornamentation around the harlequin’s head are similarly exaggerated, creating a sense of ridiculousness.
Further, Condo has experiment with the depiction of clowns and clown like figures throughout his career as an artist. One may recall his etching Untitled (VI) on wove paper. This work, which seemingly depicts a clown, manipulates the human features. Other works such as the Insane Clown further illustrate Condo’s interest in the carnival them. This may be explained by his persistent interest in the grotesque, something which has persisted throughout his career as an artist. Here, in 2000, it finds its home in the lithographic depiction of a harlequin.
American artist, George Condo, has a penchant for the grotesque and distorted that has established him as a key figure in the contemporary art world. Known for his distorted portraits and carnivalesque imagery, the artist has reshaped classical conventions to form a distinct aesthetic. Emerging from New York's East Village art scene in the early 1980s, Condo was encouraged to explore the emotive potential of art by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Honouring the likes of Picasso and Francis Bacon whilst intertwining bold references to pop culture and Surrealism, Condo has created a visual language that combines art historical tradition with contemporary culture.
