Christopher Wool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christopher Wool
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Christopher Wool in New York, 2024
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| Born | September 16, 1955 Chicago, US
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| Movement | Abstract Art |
| Partner(s) | Charline von Heyl |
| Awards | Wolfgang Hahn Prize, amfAR's Award |
Christopher Wool (born in 1955) is an American artist. Since the 1980s, Wool's art has explored new ideas in art. He is known for his unique style.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Art
Christopher Wool was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Glorye and Ira Wool. His dad was a molecular biologist and his mom was a psychiatrist. He grew up in Chicago.
In 1973, he moved to New York City. He started studying art at the Studio School. His teachers included Jack Tworkov and Harry Krame. After a short time, he left formal art training. He became interested in underground films and music instead. From 1980 to 1984, he worked as an assistant for artist Joel Shapiro.
What Kind of Art Does Christopher Wool Make?
Wool is famous for his paintings. These often feature large, black, stenciled letters. They are usually painted on white canvases.
Word Paintings
Wool started making his "word paintings" in the late 1980s. He got the idea after seeing graffiti on a new white truck. In these paintings, words are often broken up. Sometimes, vowels are removed, like 'TRBL' for 'trouble' or 'DRNK' for 'drink'. You often need to read them aloud to understand them.
In 1988, Wool had an exhibition with artist Robert Gober. It was at the 303 Gallery. This show included Wool's important text painting, Apocalypse Now (1988). This artwork uses words from a famous movie. The movie is called Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the book Heart of Darkness.
Abstract Art and Other Works
Since the early 1990s, Wool has used silkscreen printing a lot. In his abstract paintings, he mixes different styles. He draws lines on the canvas with a spray gun. Then, he quickly wipes them away with a rag soaked in a special liquid. This creates new pictures. In these, clear lines stand out against smeared areas.
Even though he is known for painting, Wool has also taken many black-and-white photos. He took these pictures at night. They show streets between the Lower East Side and Chinatown in New York. He started this project in the mid-1990s and finished it in 2002. A book called East Broadway Breakdown shows all 160 photos.
In 2012, Wool designed the set for a dance show. It was called Moving Parts. This show was created by Benjamin Millepied's L.A. Dance Project.
Artist Books
Wool has also created special artist books. One example is Can your monkey do the dog. He made this with Josh Smith in 2007.
Where Has His Art Been Shown?
Christopher Wool's art has been shown in many places. In 1998, a big show of his work was held. It started at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Then it traveled to the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. It also went to the Kunsthalle Basel in Switzerland.
In 2009, he had an exhibition at the Museum Ludwig in Germany. In 2012, his art was shown at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. From 2013 to 2014, a large show of his work was at The Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It then moved to the Art Institute of Chicago.
Awards and Honors
Wool has received several important honors. He was named a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome in 1989. In 1992, he was a DAAD Berlin Artist-in-Residence. He also received the Wolfgang Hahn Prize. In 2010, he got an award from amfAR. This was for his artistic contributions to the fight against AIDS.
His Art in the Market
Christopher Wool's "word paintings" are very popular. They are highly sought after by art collectors. For example, in 2013, his painting Apocalypse Now (1988) sold for $26.4 million. Another large black and white word painting, Riot (1990), sold for $29.9 million in 2015. These sales show how valuable his unique artworks are.
Personal Life
Christopher Wool lives and works in New York City. He also spends time in Marfa, Texas. He is married to fellow painter Charline von Heyl.
See also
In Spanish: Christopher Wool para niños
