Mel Ramos
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| Mel Ramos | |
|---|---|
 Mel Ramos 2007 |
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| Born | 24 July 1935 Sacramento, California |
| Nationality | United States |
| Field | Painting, Drawing, figurative painter |
| Movement | Pop movement |
Mel Ramos (born July 24, 1935) is a U.S. figurative painter, whose work incorporates elements of realist and abstract art. Born in Sacramento, California, he gained his greatest popularity in association with the Pop Art movement of the 1960s.
Mel Ramos received his first important recognition in the early 1960s; since 1959 he has participated in more than 120 group shows. Along with other artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg and James Rosenquist, Ramos produced art works that celebrated aspects of popular culture as represented in mass media. His paintings have been shown in major exhibitions of Pop Art in the U.S. and in Europe, and reproduced in books, catalogs, and periodicals throughout the world.
The classification of Ramos within any particular school of art is disputed. Some critical observers of the "art scene" classify Mel Ramos as a pop artist. However, others believe identification of Ramos' work within the Pop movement of the 1960s implies a satirical or parodic bent which does not reflect the broader context of his paintings, and instead defend his "parodies" as respectful, affectionate tributes, a celebration of images with personal meaning. Mel Ramos was one of four artist in the "Ashes to Life - A Portuguese American Story in Art", which was published in English and Portuguese for the exhibit of the same name with artists Nathan Oliveira Nathan Oliveira, Joao de Brito and John Matos in 2008.
Ramos has been represented by the Louis K. Meisel Gallery since 1971.
