Mel Ramos continues his comical pop exploration of the classical nude with this print 'Chic' from 1965. This work is an iconic representation of Ramos's work as he is known for his prints that center around models drawn from pin-up calendars and magazines placed strategically in a sexual way. Ramos's work simultaneously celebrates and satirizes popular culture playing with the concept that “sex sells.”

Contemporary artist Mel Ramos (b.1935) is considered to be the West Coast counterpart to the Pop Movement. One of the original pop purveyors, still producing exciting work, Ramos has seen the market for his prints and originals increase exponentially over the past few years. The popularity of his works is evident in the fact that since 1959 he has participated in more than 120 group shows. He has enjoyed great success and critical acclaim as an adventuresome artist with the creativity and sense of humor it takes to remain on top. Mel Ramos rose to fame in the early 1960s along side other artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg and James Rosenquist. He produced art works that celebrated aspects of popular culture as represented in mass media. His paintings were shown along with theirs in major exhibitions of Pop Art both in this country and in Europe and were reproduced, often with irony, in books, catalogs, and periodicals throughout the world.

Select Public Collections:
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY
Indianapolis Museum of Art, IN
Kunsthaus Darmstadt, Germany
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL
The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY