“We say that the world’s magnificence has been enriched by a new beauty; the beauty of speed. A racing car whose hood is adorned with great pipes, like serpents of explosive breath … is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace.” - The Futurist Manifesto 1909
Loretta Howard Gallery is pleased to present Racers: Larry Poons and Frank Stella, opening January 11th 6:00-8:00 pm and running through February 10th, 2017. Long time friends, Larry Poons and Frank Stella met when they were both showing at the Leo Castelli gallery in the 1960s. Their close relationship is built on mutual respect and a shared sensibility that includes risk-taking and intuition. This exhibition pairs the two artists for the first time and investigates their shared passions.
For Larry Poons, motorcycle racing has been a serious avocation for decades. At 80 years old, he is still on the circuit and tinkering with his single cylinder Ducati Mark 3 and Seely Condor bike. Frank Stella toured F1 Grand Prix races and owns a beautiful Indy racecar that is parked in his studio. Stella was inspired to create his Circuit paintings as a result of all the racetracks he has visited.
Stella’s red F1 racecar and Poons vintage English and Italian motorcycle are indeed beautiful objects but more significantly involve speed and risk. To race is to be a daredevil and push the boundaries of the ordinary; it also relies on intuition—qualities that these two artists have employed in their painting practice many times over. Their shared interest in nonconformity also runs deep. Both artists thrill in breaking the limits of speed as well as conventions in painting. The characterological impulse to race is more than an interest in the craft of driving; it is also experiential and intense.