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)
Tears, 1993

John Wesley

Tears, 1993

Sale Date: April 21, 2015

Auction Closed

Beach, 1982

John Wesley

Beach, 1982

Sale Date: March 6, 2015

Auction Closed

Pink woman in sleeveless sweater, 1995

John Wesley

Pink woman in sleeveless sweater, 1995

Sale Date: March 5, 2015

Auction Closed

Girl with cloth rabbits, 1998

John Wesley

Girl with cloth rabbits, 1998

Sale Date: March 7, 2015

Auction Closed

Under the Sea Japan, 1990

John Wesley

Under the Sea Japan, 1990

Sale Date: December 11, 2014

Auction Closed

Maiden, 1965

John Wesley

Maiden, 1965

Sale Date: November 20, 2014

Auction Closed

What's Going On in the Halls?, 1972

John Wesley

What's Going On in the Halls?, 1972

Sale Date: September 25, 2014

Auction Closed

Mode d'emploi Irish Women (2 works), 1988

John Wesley

Mode d'emploi Irish Women (2 works), 1988

Sale Date: September 23, 2014

Auction Closed

Campus, 1971

John Wesley

Campus, 1971

Sale Date: September 24, 2014

Auction Closed

Red Lips, 2005

John Wesley

Red Lips, 2005

Sale Date: July 12, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1964

John Wesley

Untitled, 1964

Sale Date: June 12, 2014

Auction Closed

Bird lady, and Maiden (2 works), 1965

John Wesley

Bird lady, and Maiden (2 works), 1965

Sale Date: April 26, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled, 1999

John Wesley

Untitled, 1999

Sale Date: March 6, 2014

Auction Closed

Paris, 1979

John Wesley

Paris, 1979

Sale Date: March 7, 2014

Auction Closed

Bird Lady, and Maiden (2 works), 1965

John Wesley

Bird Lady, and Maiden (2 works), 1965

Sale Date: January 19, 2014

Auction Closed

Untitled, 2005

John Wesley

Untitled, 2005

Sale Date: November 14, 2013

Auction Closed

Untitled, 2005

John Wesley

Untitled, 2005

Sale Date: November 14, 2013

Auction Closed

B's shaving brush, 1973–1974

John Wesley

B's shaving brush, 1973–1974

Sale Date: June 4, 2013

Auction Closed

B's kitchenette, 1973–1974

John Wesley

B's kitchenette, 1973–1974

Sale Date: June 4, 2013

Auction Closed

Maiden  (from 11 Pop Artists. Vol.I)

John Wesley

Maiden (from 11 Pop Artists. Vol.I)

Sale Date: May 31, 2013

Auction Closed

What's Going On in the Hall?

John Wesley

What's Going On in the Hall?

Sale Date: May 17, 2013

Auction Closed

Landscape with Bathroom, 1978

John Wesley

Landscape with Bathroom, 1978

Sale Date: May 17, 2013

Auction Closed

Joke, 2000

John Wesley

Joke, 2000

Sale Date: May 17, 2013

Auction Closed

Untitled, 2001

John Wesley

Untitled, 2001

Sale Date: April 18, 2013

Auction Closed