Roy Lichtenstein’s Perfect series, initiated in 1978, features abstract, planar compositions of intersecting triangles filled with multicolored patterns of lines and dots, all confined within rectangular canvases. In contrast, the Imperfect series of 1986-88 breaks those boundaries, with edges and points extending beyond the rectilinear limits of the canvas. Lichtenstein created several paired works as diptychs, presenting Perfect and Imperfect variations on a shared theme.
The Imperfect series necessitated a shift in Lichtenstein's studio process. Rather than relying on preliminary sketches derived from mass-produced imagery, these works were self-generated, akin to his Modern paintings. Initial studies for these compositions were meticulously plotted on graph paper, with lines serving as the foundational structural element. The resulting webs of shapes incorporated dots, diagonal lines, and flat areas of color. This series represents Lichtenstein's most deliberate exploration of total abstraction within the Pop art idiom.
During the 1970s and 80s, Lichtenstein increasingly shifted toward abstract representation, moving away from the comic strip-inspired imagery of his earlier works. Building on the abstract approach of his Mirrors series, Perfect/Imperfectstrips forms down to flat geometric shapes and lines.
While much of Lichtenstein’s imagery was drawn from mass-circulated visual media, Perfect/Imperfect was entirely self-generated, relying on no pre-existing imagery. For the Imperfect series, Lichtenstein followed a compositional rule: "You can start with the line anywhere, follow it along to draw all the shapes in the painting, and return to the beginning." While Perfect works celebrate contained boundaries, the Imperfect series humorously undermines them.
Lichtenstein explained, "In the Imperfect paintings, the line goes out beyond the rectangle of the painting, as though I missed the edge somehow." This deliberate "mistake" led to the addition of triangular protrusions that extend beyond the canvas's edges.
The series draws inspiration from Nicholas Krushenick’s Pop abstractions, Frank Stella’s shaped canvases of the 1960s, and the cool geometry of Neo-Geo (Neo-Geometric Conceptualism), a style concurrent with Lichtenstein’s production of the Imperfects.
Radically, Lichtenstein embraced the possibility of these works being perceived as decorative. Unlike his earlier works, which critically engaged with popular imagery, Perfect/Imperfect is a body of work Lichtenstein himself described as "meaningless." Early versions of these pieces appeared as props in his Studios paintings, acting as blank parodies. Reflecting on the series, Lichtenstein said: "It seemed to be the most meaningless way to make an abstraction . . . dumb paintings . . . [like] the nameless or generic painting you might find in the background of a sitcom, the abstraction hanging over the couch."
The Imperfect series necessitated a shift in Lichtenstein's studio process. Rather than relying on preliminary sketches derived from mass-produced imagery, these works were self-generated, akin to his Modern paintings. Initial studies for these compositions were meticulously plotted on graph paper, with lines serving as the foundational structural element. The resulting webs of shapes incorporated dots, diagonal lines, and flat areas of color. This series represents Lichtenstein's most deliberate exploration of total abstraction within the Pop art idiom.
During the 1970s and 80s, Lichtenstein increasingly shifted toward abstract representation, moving away from the comic strip-inspired imagery of his earlier works. Building on the abstract approach of his Mirrors series, Perfect/Imperfectstrips forms down to flat geometric shapes and lines.
While much of Lichtenstein’s imagery was drawn from mass-circulated visual media, Perfect/Imperfect was entirely self-generated, relying on no pre-existing imagery. For the Imperfect series, Lichtenstein followed a compositional rule: "You can start with the line anywhere, follow it along to draw all the shapes in the painting, and return to the beginning." While Perfect works celebrate contained boundaries, the Imperfect series humorously undermines them.
Lichtenstein explained, "In the Imperfect paintings, the line goes out beyond the rectangle of the painting, as though I missed the edge somehow." This deliberate "mistake" led to the addition of triangular protrusions that extend beyond the canvas's edges.
The series draws inspiration from Nicholas Krushenick’s Pop abstractions, Frank Stella’s shaped canvases of the 1960s, and the cool geometry of Neo-Geo (Neo-Geometric Conceptualism), a style concurrent with Lichtenstein’s production of the Imperfects.
Radically, Lichtenstein embraced the possibility of these works being perceived as decorative. Unlike his earlier works, which critically engaged with popular imagery, Perfect/Imperfect is a body of work Lichtenstein himself described as "meaningless." Early versions of these pieces appeared as props in his Studios paintings, acting as blank parodies. Reflecting on the series, Lichtenstein said: "It seemed to be the most meaningless way to make an abstraction . . . dumb paintings . . . [like] the nameless or generic painting you might find in the background of a sitcom, the abstraction hanging over the couch."
January 20, 2025
