Jonathan Lasker (Born 1948)

Jonathan Lasker is an American abstract painter whose art has played a major role in postmodern painting. During the early 1990s, Lasker was part of the loosely cohesive group that in New York was called "Conceptual painters", and he has since then gained a number of followers with his innovative way of working. Lasker utilized the conceptual turn that happened in the art world in the 1980s and became involved in the new possibilities of painting, thus developing the abstract design language that has come to characterize his art. His approach to painting seems both rational and intellectual. Methodically and well-planned, he approaches the motif, which he builds up with well-defined lines. The formal language of his paintings is abstract, while the visual means range from simple line drawings to thick applications of color. His work challenges traditional perspectives on the relationship between foreground and background and between figure and line. Through strong composition structure and intelligent color choices Lasker’s paintings become filled with energy and his art never fails to engage the viewer. At first, his art may seem like a playful approach to abstract art, but they are far from impulsive. Lasker creates an elegant and inventive game for the eye and the mind. Today we find Lasker represented at, among others, MoMa in New York, Center Pompidou in Paris, Museum Ludwig in Cologne and the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. He is represented by some of the contemporary art scene’s foremost galleries such as Cheim & Read in New York and Thaddaeus Ropac in Paris.