Integrating his distinctive cartoonish style with urban elements, this oil on canvas work entitled 'Stop' perfectly captures Martin Wong's unique approach to painting. With exaggerated hands spelling out each letter in 'Stop' through American Sign Language, the hexagonal shape of the canvas further emphasizes the title while the high degree of realism of the painted bricks links the piece to the urban environments so often explored by Wong.

Chinese American artist Martin Wong (1946-1999) is known for his whimsical works of art that combined attributes of reality and fantasy. Referencing various eclectic styles, such as graffiti, cartoons, re-imagined urban landscapes and Asian-inspired motifs, Wong’s compositions employ intricate details and complex subject matters pioneering a unique style of visionary realism. Wong originally earned a degree in ceramics from the Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA in 1968, but after moving to New York City he centered his attention on painting. The artist was exhibited at numerous venues including White Columns (New York, NY), Fukushima Prefectural Museum of Art (Fukushima, Japan), and the Whitney Museum of American Art (new York, NY). Though his premature death at the age of 53 was tragic, his legacy continues to live on as his work was recently incorporated into a show at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY in 2012.

Select Public Collections:
Bronx Museum of Art, Bronx, NY
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY