Charles Pachter

Queen & Moose

1973

General Idea was founded in 1967 in Toronto by AA Bronson (b. 1946), Felix Partz (1945-1994), and Jorge Zontal (1944-1994). Over the course of 25 years, they made a significant contribution to postmodern and conceptual art in Canada and beyond. The trio was both prolific and multi-disciplinary long before it became de rigueur. They worked across a wide range of media including photography, sculpture, painting, mail art, video, installations, multiples, and performance. With their subversive approach and interest in parody and appropriation, General Idea addressed a broad range of social (and art-world) issues such as the cult of the artist, mass media, queer identity, and consumerism. Thematic continuity was a key element for General Idea, who utilized longevity as an avenue to delve deeper into, build upon, and evolve with the complex and nuanced subject matter they took on. “Monet Cane” is an extraordinary example of General Idea’s use of iconography, appropriation, (and mischief) from this era. Beginning in the early 1980s, General Idea began using the poodle as an emblem for the trio, quickly elevating it to one of the most dominant motifs in their practice. Both single poodles, and trios (which would be a sort of group self-portrait) appeared frequently in a variety of artwork during their last decade of production. The 80's was a decade that saw appropriation flourish in the visual arts. General Idea made a significant contribution to this trend. While many of their contemporaries used mass-market images or objects (think Barbara Kruger, Jeff Koons, and Richard Prince) General Idea did not restrict themselves to accessible imagery but also claimed canonical images and blue-chip references. General Idea created two major series of paintings featuring the trio of poodles; in pastels (which were often bleached in a commercial washing machine) and in neon colors. This painting is exceptionally rare as it is one of four paintings made with this distinct flecked surface. This unique texture is a significant (and beautiful) anomaly at odds with their predominantly flat and graphic aesthetic. The surface of the canvas is enveloped in tiny, weighted flecks of paint that have been layered to create an incredible texture. This application of paint, which appears to be chenille-like, recalls both the atmospheric pastel palette and impressionistic effects made famous by Claude Monet. "Monet Cane" can not only be contextualized with other poodle paintings...

In 1967, General Idea was founded in Toronto by AA Bronson (b. 1946), Felix Partz (1945-1994), and Jorge Zontal (1944-1994). Over the course of 25 years, they made a significant cont...

With a lifetime of work that is adored by collectors and art lovers around the globe, Alex Katz is a favorite successor of the New York-based artists that responded to Pop Art. Born in 1927, Katz has been dedicated to art-making since the 1950s - however, it wasn't until the following decade that he established his signature 'flat' figurative style, which continues to influence contemporary painters. Today, we can see this impact on a host of artists including Eric Fischl, David Salle, Julian Opie, and Elizabeth Peyton amongst others. One could argue that Katz kept the tradition of figurative painting alive when it had gone terribly out of style. An active and devoted printmaker, Katz typically creates portraits and landscapes: subjects that he is personally connected to such as Soho cityscapes, the flora of rural Maine, and the people in his life. In 1957, Katz would meet his future wife "Ada" - over the course of the last fifty years, he has depicted her over 200 times. She is the most iconic subject in his oeuvre and is depicted with affection, sincerity, and devotion. Utilizing 5 colors, this dynamic print depicts Ada coming up for air as she swims through a body of water. Recalling Katz's 1973 painting "Swimmer #3", this work is a fine example of the artist's pared-down aesthetic, depicting Ada with few details and a striking use of negative space. In 1976, this iconic image was extended to the United States Olympic Committee and reproduced as a poster for the Olympics in Montreal at the time. In 2022, Katz was the subject of a major retrospective at The Guggenheim (New York) which exhibited work spanning 8 decades of the artist's career. "Olympic Swimmer...

Andy Warhol began using the big-shot Polaroid camera in 1971 and continued using it religiously until his death in 1987. Despite the camera being discontinued in 1973, he continued t...

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) is arguably the most important American artist of the 20th century. He not only defined Pop Art but had an unrivaled influence on artists and image-making. ...

Caviar20 has had the pleasure and privilege to work with Canadian legend and artist extraordinaire Charles Pachter. Celebrating Canadian patrimony is an important element in Pacht...

Edition of 25 Digital pigment print Ultrachrome ink on Fabriano Rosaspina paper. Hand signed by the artist, and certificate of authenticity, (Unframed) His work has been shown in...

Flowers 09, 2019 Edition of 25 Digital pigment print Ultrachrome ink on Fabriano Rosaspina paper. Hand signed by the artist, and certificate of authenticity, (Unframed) His work h...

-- Artwork comes with a certificate of authenticity -- Artwork is signed by the artist Haim Sherrf -- Artwork comes with a premium quality frame

-- Artwork comes with a certificate of authenticity -- Artwork is signed by the artist Haim Sherrf -- Artwork comes with a premium quality frame

Bruce Helander is an art critic, arts writer, curator and artist whose specialty is collage and assemblage. He has a master’s degree in painting from the prestigious Rhode Island Sch...

Bruce Helander is an art critic, arts writer, curator and artist whose specialty is collage and assemblage. He has a master’s degree in painting from the prestigious Rhode Island Sch...