Rock-Rock 1966

Richard Lindner’s “Rock-Rock” is an oil painting that presents a vivid, graphic figure bisected by the neck of a bass guitar. The painting is a fascinating mix of artistic techniques. On one hand, it features the controlled brushwork associated with fine art. On the other, its hard-edged forms and bold colors recall the world of commercial graphics. It’s a mash-up, much like the rock-and-roll culture it depicts. The figure's clothes, painted with precise lines, suggest a stylized mass production, like printed fabric. In contrast, the guitar, typically crafted from wood with meticulous care, is flattened into an abstract shape. Lindner seems to be asking us: where does personal expression end, and where does the world of manufactured goods begin? By blurring these boundaries, Lindner challenges conventional distinctions between art and commerce, asking us to reflect on the cultural forces that shape our identities.