Red Grooms
Selected Works
Red Grooms
Monet à Giverny, 1977
Sculpture en papier gouaché
64 x 115 x 46 cm
Some of the works depicted are no longer available.
Biography
Throughout his career, Grooms has captured the vitality, absurdity, and complexities of urban life, blending satire and sensitivity in a unique look at American urban culture. A pioneer of immersive installation and a master of narrative art, Red Grooms has transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary through his dynamic and accessible creations.
Red Grooms, originally from Nashville, developed a passion for art at a young age. After initial studies at Peabody College in Nashville, he continued his training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, then at the New School for Social Research in New York. It was in New York in the 1950s that he was immersed in the city’s artistic dynamics, particularly the emergence of Pop Art and happenings, experimental performances that redefine the boundaries of art. His “happenings” are events that mix performance, theater and installation, and actively involve the public. These experiments allowed him to develop a distinctive style, merging painting, sculpture and installation to create visually rich and narratively charged works. His work is distinguished by the use of bright colors, exaggerated forms and meticulous attention to detail. Grooms is best known for his three-dimensional creations made of papier-mâché, wood and other materials, which recreate scenes of urban life with a humorous and satirical touch. His installations immerse the viewer in vibrant environments, where comedy and social critique are intertwined.
Although he is often associated with the Pop Art movement, Grooms’ approach is distinguished by its immersive and narrative dimension. His work is characterized by an innovative use of perspective and composition, giving his works a cinematic and theatrical quality. Grooms has constantly explored different mediums, from painting to sculpture, film and printmaking, thus demonstrating his artistic versatility.
Although he is often associated with the Pop Art movement, Grooms’ approach is distinguished by its immersive and narrative dimension. His work is characterized by an innovative use of perspective and composition, giving his works a cinematic and theatrical quality. Grooms has constantly explored different mediums, from painting to sculpture, film and printmaking, thus demonstrating his artistic versatility.
With roots in New York City, a city that has informed much of his work, Red Grooms shared his life and artistic practice with painter Mimi Gross. Their collaboration reinforced the shared exploration of urban and social themes in their respective works. Throughout his career, Grooms has captured the vitality, absurdity, and complexities of city life, blending satire and sensitivity in a unique look at American urban culture. A pioneer of immersive installation and a master of narrative art, Red Grooms transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary through his dynamic and accessible creations. His influence on contemporary art remains strong, and his work continues to mark the history of 20th-century American art. Grooms continues to produce and exhibit, remaining a key figure in the evolution of visual art.