John Wesley

(American, 1928–2022)

John Wesley is a contemporary American painter. Characterized by his uniquely graphic, flattened Pop paintings, Wesley’s work addresses themes of sexuality and erotica through stylized and symmetrically composed images. Rendered in distinctive pink and blue pastel hues, Wesley repeats the same graphic symbolic images in tessellation-like patterns on his large canvases, and regularly employs leitmotifs like pornography and avian fowl—often to humorous effect—throughout his oeuvre. Though his paintings are reminiscent of his contemporary Tom Wesselmann, his personal associations were with peers Dan Flavin and Donald Judd, and he was inspired by both the Minimalist and Surrealist movements. That being said, “I didn’t go out and try to be a Surrealist,” Wesley explained of his ambiguous imagery. “It was just fun doing what I was doing.” Born on November 25, 1928 in Los Angeles, CA, he was a self-taught artist who worked for several years an illustrator for the avian industry. His work has been critically acclaimed throughout his career, and he has been the subject of several retrospectives, notably including at the PS1 Contemporary Art Center in New York in 2000.

John Wesley (347 results)

Police Officers, Off Duty, 1994

John Wesley

Police Officers, Off Duty, 1994

Rosenfeld Gallery

30,000 USD

Mail Order Blues, 1972

John Wesley

Mail Order Blues, 1972

Waddington Custot

Price on Request

Coach, 2001

John Wesley

Waddington Custot

Price on Request

Hannah's Rabbit, 1986

John Wesley

Hannah's Rabbit, 1986

Waddington Custot

Price on Request

Debbie Millstein Swallowed a Thumbtack, 1972

John Wesley

Debbie Millstein Swallowed a Thumbtack, 1972

Waddington Custot

Sold

Untitled (Breasts), 1998

John Wesley

Untitled (Breasts), 1998

Lillian Heidenberg Fine Art

Price on Request

Untitled (Pink Leg), 2004

John Wesley

Untitled (Pink Leg), 2004

Lillian Heidenberg Fine Art

Price on Request

Night Landing, 1983

John Wesley

Night Landing, 1983

Galerie Neuendorf

Price on Request

Lady Bird, 1965

John Wesley

Lady Bird, 1965

Price on Request

The Days of War and Laughter (from 1969), 1992

John Wesley

The Days of War and Laughter (from 1969), 1992

Sale Date: May 9, 2023

Auction Closed

Good Night Mary, 1999

John Wesley

Good Night Mary, 1999

Sale Date: May 16, 2023

Auction Closed

Phone, 1982

John Wesley

Sale Date: May 16, 2023

Auction Closed

Mary Lou & Her Sister, 1992

John Wesley

Mary Lou & Her Sister, 1992

Sale Date: May 18, 2023

Auction Closed

Fruit Tree, 1996

John Wesley

Fruit Tree, 1996

Sale Date: May 18, 2023

Auction Closed

Teresa and the Apprentices, 1968

John Wesley

Teresa and the Apprentices, 1968

Sale Date: May 18, 2023

Auction Closed

Popeye, 1973

John Wesley

Sale Date: May 17, 2023

Auction Closed

Hootie's Wife, 2005

John Wesley

Hootie's Wife, 2005

Sale Date: April 20, 2023

Auction Closed

Red Lips, 2005

John Wesley

Red Lips, 2005

Sale Date: April 20, 2023

Auction Closed

Splash, 1974

John Wesley

Sale Date: April 19, 2023

Auction Closed

Bird Lady (From: 11 Pop Artists, Volume II), 1965

John Wesley

Bird Lady (From: 11 Pop Artists, Volume II), 1965

Sale Date: March 9, 2023

Auction Closed

Dream of Unicorns (From: 11 Pop Artists,..., 1965

John Wesley

Dream of Unicorns (From: 11 Pop Artists,..., 1965

Sale Date: March 9, 2023

Auction Closed

Getting off the Subway at St. Tropez, 1979

John Wesley

Getting off the Subway at St. Tropez, 1979

Sale Date: March 9, 2023

Auction Closed

Woman Falling Asleep, 1993

John Wesley

Woman Falling Asleep, 1993

Sale Date: February 22, 2023

Auction Closed

Bird Lady, from 11 Pop Artists, Volume II, 1965

John Wesley

Bird Lady, from 11 Pop Artists, Volume II, 1965

Sale Date: February 15, 2023

Auction Closed

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English (US)

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