Alex Katz

ALEX KATZ (Brooklyn, New York, July 24, 1927).
"Purple hat (Ada)," 2017.
Pigmented inks on Art Crane Museo Max paper, copy 109/125.
Signed and justified in pencil.
Measurements: 116.8 x 53.5 cm.

In "Purple hat (Ada)", Alex Katz presents one of his characteristic portraits of Ada, his wife and central figure in his production, resolved through a refined language and an aesthetic of great formal economy. The composition, of generous format within the graphic work and dominated by the face in the foreground, eliminates any spatial reference to focus attention on the iconic presence of the subject.

The use of flat color surfaces, the precision of the contour and the absence of traditional modeling respond to Katz's desire to capture an immediate, almost cinematographic image, where the figure becomes a visual sign. The contrast between the violet of the hat, the pallor of the face and the intense red of the lips reinforces the graphic character of the work.

This print is part of the artist's most recognizable line, halfway between the tradition of portraiture and the aesthetics of pop art, consolidating his interest in contemporaneity, fashion and visual perception.

Alex Katz is one of the key figures of American painting in the second half of the 20th century. He trained at the Cooper Union in New York and later at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, where he developed an interest in plein air painting and formal synthesis.

Since the late 1950s, Katz consolidated his own style characterized by the use of color planes, defined contours and large-format compositions. His work, centered on portraits and scenes of contemporary life, has been considered a precursor of pop art because of its affinity with modern visual culture, although he maintains a clear independence with respect to this movement.

Throughout her career, Katz has exhibited at leading institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Tate, and her work is part of important international collections.