Al and Tom, 1969
Information about the artwork
- MaterialOil on aluminum, steel
- Dimensions183.3 x 76.2 x 17.8 cm
- Year of acquisition2009
- Inventory numberUAB 204
- On viewCurrently not exhibited
- Copyright© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn [2024], Photo: Haydar Koyupinar, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich
More about the artwork
In his 'cutouts,’ Katz extends the themes of his paintings into the three-dimensional gallery space. Although the sculptures are flat, the double-sided painting invites the viewer to look at the front and back, revealing many surprising and witty details. In “Al and Tom,” the painter Al Held is shown in profile, while his companion Tom is depicted frontally, wearing a characteristic checkered shirt. The painterly superimposition of the figures creates the impression that Tom is standing—in front of Al—on both sides. It is a spatial impossibility that illustrates the constructed nature of the scene. This quality is further accentuated by an invisible third figure that imposes itself from the outside: the facial profile of Katz's wife Ada is cut into one edge of the work. It is as if she is standing next to us, blocking our view of Al and Tom.
