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 News

What I Buy and Why

Jeff Lawson Shows Us the Eclectic Works He's Collected as the Founder of Untitled Art Fair in Miami

by Lee Carter
Jeff Lawson Shows Us the Eclectic Works He's Collected as the Founder of Untitled Art Fair in Miami
Art & Exhibitions

Dominique Levy Gallery Revisits the Experimental Drawing Surge of the 1960s

by Ben Davis
Dominique Levy Gallery Revisits the Experimental Drawing Surge of the 1960s
Art & Exhibitions

High Line Art Announces John Wesley Billboard

by Cait Munro
High Line Art Announces John Wesley Billboard

John Wesley Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

John Wesley (388 results)
What's Going on in the Halls?, 1971

John Wesley

What's Going on in the Halls?, 1971

Sale Date: October 21, 2021

Auction Closed

3 Sunbathers, 1987

John Wesley

3 Sunbathers, 1987

Sale Date: September 30, 2021

Auction Closed

Error, 1988

John Wesley

Error, 1988

Sale Date: July 21, 2021

Auction Closed

Up, Doggie, 2000

John Wesley

Up, Doggie, 2000

Sale Date: July 21, 2021

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1990

John Wesley

Untitled, 1990

Sale Date: July 21, 2021

Auction Closed

Compleat Fritz (from the Panoply portfolio), 1971

John Wesley

Compleat Fritz (from the Panoply portfolio), 1971

Sale Date: July 16, 2021

Auction Closed

7 Maidens, 1963

John Wesley

7 Maidens, 1963

Sale Date: May 20, 2021

Auction Closed

Chateau, 1977

John Wesley

Chateau, 1977

Sale Date: May 19, 2021

Auction Closed

Lily's Ankles, 2001

John Wesley

Lily's Ankles, 2001

Sale Date: May 14, 2021

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1992

Bill Barette, John Wesley and Rainer Gross

Untitled, 1992

Sale Date: March 3, 2021

Auction Closed

Seasons of War and Laughter, 1969

John Wesley

Seasons of War and Laughter, 1969

Sale Date: March 9, 2021

Auction Closed

Dream of Unicorns, 1965–1966

John Wesley

Dream of Unicorns, 1965–1966

Sale Date: January 28, 2021

Auction Closed

Flight, 1968

John Wesley

Flight, 1968

Sale Date: December 8, 2020

Auction Closed

Panoply, inspiriert von: Splendours of the..., 1971

John Wesley

Panoply, inspiriert von: Splendours of the..., 1971

Sale Date: November 27, 2020

Auction Closed

Aer Lingus, 2002

John Wesley

Aer Lingus, 2002

Sale Date: December 3, 2020

Auction Closed

Maiden (from 11 Pop Artists, Volume I), 1965

John Wesley

Maiden (from 11 Pop Artists, Volume I), 1965

Sale Date: November 18, 2020

Auction Closed

Debbie Millstein Swallowed a Thumb, 1972

John Wesley

Debbie Millstein Swallowed a Thumb, 1972

Sale Date: October 23, 2020

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1990

John Wesley

Untitled, 1990

Sale Date: October 7, 2020

Auction Closed

The Annunciation, 2002

John Wesley

The Annunciation, 2002

Sale Date: October 7, 2020

Auction Closed

CHOCOLATE MAJOR, 2001

John Wesley

CHOCOLATE MAJOR, 2001

Sale Date: October 2, 2020

Auction Closed

LONG COUCH, 1988

John Wesley

LONG COUCH, 1988

Sale Date: October 2, 2020

Auction Closed

Paris Review, 1965

John Wesley

Paris Review, 1965

Sale Date: August 18, 2020

Auction Closed

What's Going On in the Halls, 1971

John Wesley

What's Going On in the Halls, 1971

Sale Date: July 30, 2020

Auction Closed

NIGHT SAIL: TURNING FOR HOME, 1977

John Wesley

NIGHT SAIL: TURNING FOR HOME, 1977

Sale Date: July 16, 2020

Auction Closed

English (US)

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