John Wesley: The Artist Who Infused Eroticism into Pop Art

Wesley is often placed somewhere between Pop Art and Minimalism, and indeed, his acrylics on canvas incorporate elements of both styles. Some also draw connections to Surrealism. However, before delving into those aspects, it’s worth exploring the influences that shaped him. As a boy, Wesley was captivated by comics like Popeye, Blondie, and Dennis the Menace. As a young man, he worked in a post office, surrounded by stamps, seals, and labels. His second wife was the minimalist painter Jo Baer, and he was acquainted with artists like Dan Flavin, Sol LeWitt, and Donald Judd. His aesthetic interests ranged from Art Nouveau to Utamaro’s ukiyo-e and the evolution of wallpaper designs. With these influences, and having developed his style in the shadow of prominent figures like Lichtenstein, Warhol, and Rosenquist, his artistic identity becomes clearer. Wesley’s lines are as precise and clean as those in comics. His compositions are sometimes rhythmic and geometric, akin to wallpaper patterns, and other times they are as crisp and functional as stamps and badges, often enclosed by a neatly painted white border.