JIM STEG: EXPERIMENTAL PRIME
November 7th - December 5th, 2020
Opening Saturday, November 7th, 5 to 7 pm
Exhibiting at Carbine Motorcars Direct, 3113 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70115
Amanda Winstead Fine Art is honored to present a never before exhibited body of work by Jim Steg (1922-2001). One of the most visionary and cutting edge printmakers of the 20th century, this group of paintings from the early 1990s represents the culmination of his life’s work as a true innovator of artistic mediums. Freed from the boundaries of academia after his retirement as a beloved professor of art from Newcomb College, Steg sought to engage in true artistic expression as exemplified by this body of work.
Presented across the backdrop of racy and curvaceous luxury automobiles, the sexual appeal of the paintings cannot be denied, as the forms of the female body are readily identifiable in many of the works. Created by having a model cover herself in Vaseline and imprint her figure in the oil paint, this technique is among the few unique methods used to create these stunning paintings. He combines his other singular methods of xerography, Xerox toner painting, and airbrush resist with monoprint silkscreen, collage, and oil painting. This extraordinary collection will be complemented by a small selection of his flocked serigraphs from 1968, another unique achievement in the history of printmaking.
Born in Virginia, Steg served in the Army during World War II. Of the 16 million Americans who served in the war, Steg was a member of the elite camouflage unit of the Ghost Army. His worked is being included in a groundbreaking exhibition on the Ghost Army at The National World War II Museum opening on March 5th. Following his military service, he earned a Bachelor’s degree and Master of Fine Art degree from the University of Iowa where he trained with renowned printmaking professor Mauricio Lasanksy. Spending most of his lifetime in New Orleans and at Newcomb College (43 year tenure), he inspired generations of students with not only his mastery of printmaking techniques, but also his creativity and innovation in the field. Last year, the Archives of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution accepted his papers into their vast archive, a highly distinguished honor for an artist. Steg’s work is included in the permanent collections of more than sixty prominent international and national museums. The New Orleans Museum of Art presented a solo exhibition of his work in 2017 as well as a retrospective exhibition in 1978.
We hope you can attend the opening on March 7th, where the artist’s widow and muse, Frances Swigart-Steg, will be in attendance. The entire exhibition, including prices, is featured on our Artsy gallery and website if you are unable to come view it in person. We invite your inquiry.
