Fred Tomaselli
Fred Tomaselli
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Fred Tomaselli is an American artist known for his intricate and colorful paintings that often blend the boundaries between art and nature.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born in 1956 in New York City, USA. No specific information on death date.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American, Artist/Painter/Printmaker
Early Life and Background
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Fred Tomaselli was born to a family of artists. His mother, Dorothea Rockburne, was an artist who worked with abstract expressionism, while his father, James Lee Byars, was a performance artist and painter. This exposure to the art world at a young age likely influenced Tomaselli's decision to pursue a career in art.
Growing up, Tomaselli spent time traveling and experiencing different cultures. He later attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. After college, Tomaselli moved to Los Angeles and became involved in the city's vibrant art scene.
Major Accomplishments
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Tomaselli has had numerous solo exhibitions at galleries around the world, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). His work is also part of several prominent collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
Notable Works or Actions
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Tomaselli's paintings often feature intricate patterns and colors that blend the boundaries between art and nature. He draws inspiration from various sources, including psychedelia, surrealism, and folk art. Some notable works include:
"The Flowering Desert" (2007): A large-scale painting featuring vibrant flowers amidst a desert landscape.
"Untitled (Columbine)" (1995-96): A series of paintings exploring the symbolism of flowers and their relationship to human experience.
Impact and Legacy
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Tomaselli's work has been widely praised for its innovative approach to traditional art-making. His unique blend of colors, patterns, and textures has influenced a generation of artists working in various mediums.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Fred Tomaselli is widely quoted or remembered for his insightful comments on the role of art in society:
> "I believe that art can be a powerful tool for social change. By challenging our perceptions and pushing boundaries, art can inspire us to think differently about the world around us."
His legacy continues to inspire artists, designers, and thinkers from various disciplines.
Quotes by Fred Tomaselli
A lot of people dont think of my work as being all that funny, but I think its hilarious!
Ive come to believe in the primacy of form - the notion of art seducing you through your senses, through your eyeballs.
A lot of people don't think of my work as being all that funny, but I think it's hilarious!
I don't know if I'm a populist artist, but I do try to maintain a spirit of generosity.
I like the idea of multidisciplinary conversations, so in that spirit, I try and make a contribution from the art world into the music world.
The small amount of people that control the discourse around painting - I thought that the whole museum world was just a bunch of phonies, and I didn't really want to have anything to do with it. I guess I did installations, in a funny way, because they couldn't be commodified.
There are aspects of Asian culture in my work, but it's really rooted in an American experience - transcendentalism, '60s counterculture, punk rock.
I don't embrace irony, but I do think it's a pre-existing condition; we manage it as best we can.
I've come to believe in the primacy of form - the notion of art seducing you through your senses, through your eyeballs.