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 Artworks

John Wesley (388 results)

Yelling, 1994

John Wesley

Yelling, 1994

Sale Date: November 14, 2007

Auction Closed

Two women, 2002

John Wesley

Two women, 2002

Sale Date: November 14, 2007

Auction Closed

Ballerina, 1971

John Wesley

Ballerina, 1971

Sale Date: September 10, 2007

Auction Closed

Woman 5, 1990

John Wesley

Woman 5, 1990

Sale Date: May 17, 2007

Auction Closed

Dusk - Pink cloud, 1987

John Wesley

Dusk - Pink cloud, 1987

Sale Date: May 17, 2007

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1983

John Wesley

Untitled, 1983

Sale Date: May 16, 2007

Auction Closed

Wedding ring, 1991

John Wesley

Wedding ring, 1991

Sale Date: May 16, 2007

Auction Closed

Mode de Emploi Irish women (in 2 parts), 1988

John Wesley

Mode de Emploi Irish women (in 2 parts), 1988

Sale Date: May 16, 2007

Auction Closed

Armenian question, 1967

John Wesley

Armenian question, 1967

Sale Date: February 26, 2007

Auction Closed

The sea of Japan, 1979

John Wesley

The sea of Japan, 1979

Sale Date: November 18, 2006

Auction Closed

Rain with no floor, 1979

John Wesley

Rain with no floor, 1979

Sale Date: November 18, 2006

Auction Closed

Bird lady, pl. 9 (from 11 Pop Artists,..., 1965

John Wesley

Bird lady, pl. 9 (from 11 Pop Artists,..., 1965

Sale Date: December 2, 2006

Auction Closed

Magic carpet, 1966

John Wesley

Magic carpet, 1966

Sale Date: November 17, 2006

Auction Closed

Sleeping porch, 1979

John Wesley

Sleeping porch, 1979

Sale Date: November 16, 2006

Auction Closed

Ponca City, 1969

John Wesley

Ponca City, 1969

Sale Date: November 16, 2006

Auction Closed

Boyfriends, 2001

John Wesley

Boyfriends, 2001

Sale Date: November 13, 2006

Auction Closed

Boat Race, 1999

John Wesley

Boat Race, 1999

Sale Date: November 15, 2006

Auction Closed

Bird lady (from 11 Pop Artists, vol. 11), 1965

John Wesley

Bird lady (from 11 Pop Artists, vol. 11), 1965

Sale Date: October 2, 2006

Auction Closed

Deep polar knight, 1968

John Wesley

Deep polar knight, 1968

Sale Date: May 21, 2006

Auction Closed

B's lawn, 1973–1974

John Wesley

B's lawn, 1973–1974

Sale Date: May 10, 2006

Auction Closed

Tennis players, 1979

John Wesley

Tennis players, 1979

Sale Date: May 11, 2006

Auction Closed

Panoply (album of 8), 1971

John Wesley

Panoply (album of 8), 1971

Sale Date: May 2, 2006

Auction Closed

Rocky Mountain gym teacher, 2002

John Wesley

Rocky Mountain gym teacher, 2002

Sale Date: March 14, 2006

Auction Closed

Dream of unicorns (+ Kneeling woman; 2..., 1965

John Wesley

Dream of unicorns (+ Kneeling woman; 2..., 1965

Sale Date: November 17, 2005

Auction Closed

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