About the Work
A joyful beach scene, a lazy afternoon with friends, a dog, umbrellas, towels on the sand, a smile on everyone’s face, blue sky, strong light...all of these components make for a magnificent, joyful composition. This work is a particularly intimate one, as it features Fischl’s wife, April Gornik (whose work is also featured in the America: Now and Here portfolio). This photograph belongs in a series of “beach” collages that Fischl made after visiting St. Tropez in the 1980s, where he had his first contact with nudity in a public place. “The experience of being there was so overwhelming that I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. I had no idea how I felt about it.”
This photograph transmits a strong sense of friendship and familiarity, of people comfortable with each other and with their bodies. Eric Fischl has the unique talent of transmitting a joie de vivre in his collages, which makes him one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation.
About the Artist
A prolific and productive painter, photographer, and sculptor since 1979, Fischl is one of the most influential artists of our time. Drawing comparisons with Goya, Picasso, and Degas, Fischl’s legendary contributions to the art world will survive the ages.
He first gained the art world’s attention in the late 1970s for his depictions of the dark side of suburban life. Fischl's paintings from that time dealt with issues of early sexuality and voyeurism, while his most recent large-scale canvases focus on the tradition of bull fighting. Despite the diversity of subject matter, Fischl's work is consistent in its exploration of human relationships. Married to artist April Gornik, Fischl is a senior critic at the New York Academy of Art and a fellow at both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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