Walter Robinson

Walter Robinson’s paintings from the Romance Series were first shown at Metro Pictures in the 1980s. The works are brilliantly-colored, deftly-painted illustrations that, as described by the artist, are “of people kissing, romance, beautiful women, strong men and desire...the act of putting paint on canvas was an intimate act suited well to depicting intimate acts. A little bit Neo-Expressionist and a little bit Post-Modern, the paintings represent a search for authentic subjectivity by an appeal to something hard-wired or innate.” Robinson used a “pop format” or "image bank" that seemed to be in danger of disappearing: the illustrations for covers of pulp paperbacks dating back to the early 1950s. Many of the paintings, as Robinson describes, are blissful images of “l'amour fou” or suggest an “erotic delirium.” Others show couples fighting or women resisting male assaults (typically with a small automatic!) in addition to images of comfort and protection.

Robinson’s other exhibitions at Metro Pictures have included paintings that “took up the theme of desire and authenticity...using straightforward illustrative styles of painting”—portraits of everyday products, his small daughter, her toys, still lives of alcoholic beverages and spin paintings.

Walter Robinson received a BA from Columbia University and is currently the Editor of Artnet.com magazine. His art was included in the exhibition “The Downtown Show” at the Grey Art Gallery as well as shows at The New Museum and The Drawing Center. He was a member of CoLab and exhibited in galleries in the East Village in the 1980s. Robinson was Contributing Editor at Art in America from 1978-1997, cofounder (with Edit DeAk) of Art-Rite Magazine in the 1970s, and Art Editor of The East Village Eye in the 1980s. He was the correspondent for “Art Gallery Beat” in the late 1990s and is the author of “Instant Art History” (Ballantine, 1994).

Quotes are from notes provided by the artist, available at the gallery or online

Opening: April 5, 6-8 pm

Please direct press inquiries to Photi Giovanis at Photi@metropictures.com or at 212-206-7100