The volume “William N. Copley”, edited by Germano Celant and published by Fondazione Prada in collaboration with The Menil Collection, accompanies the retrospective exhibition devoted to the American artist, currently hosted at The Menil Collection in Houston until 24th July 2016. The exhibition will then be held at Fondazione Prada, in a more extensive format, from October 2016 to January 2017.
William N. Copley (1919–96) embodies the figure of the original, eclectic self-taught artist, thanks to his work as a journalist, editor, art dealer and collector. The two exhibitions, curated by Germano Celant and Toby Kamps, as well as the related catalogue, retrace the entire career of the artist – started in Hollywood in the 1940s, developed in Paris and subsequently spanned across Europe and the United States – and recall the evolution of his style and pictorial experimentation, inspired by Surrealism, by the cartoon imagery and by American folk culture. An artist who has explored recurring subjects such as pornography, patriotism, and the unexpected potential of everyday objects with humor and intelligence.
“William N. Copley”
