Malcolm Liepke USA, b. 1953
Images
Biography
American artist, Malcolm Liepke was born in 1953 and raised in Minneapolis. He is an experienced, mid-career painter who has exhibited all over the world; his work is represented in numerous private and public collections.
He is a painter of a particular world, a 'demi-monde', inhabited by mostly young and attractive subjects, who project an air of self-absorption and watchfulness. Isolated figures pose with an almost insolent self-regard, others appear more vulnerable, as if exhausted by the rigours of a dissolute life. Particularly of note are the group compositions, where his subjects interact, evoking tender and sensual feelings, modifying the potential solipsism of their characters. Genuine emotion is on display in a world of mutual grooming and self-presentation.
Liepke paints with an assured, expressive and fluent handling of his medium. His frank enjoyment of the texture of male and female flesh is fully embodied in the rich and luscious quality of the oil. Thick, clotted and sticky passages contrast with slick, fluid glazes. Cream-like paint is laid down in planes of acidic, pastel hues of greens, blues, pinks, purples and oranges, making dramatic contrast with descriptive areas of pale skin-tones. His responsive manipulation of the brush and medium subtly reacts to the contour and surface of the subject, articulating a world of sensation.
The compositions speak of an interior, artificially-lit, urban world: a locale of bars, nightclubs, studios and house-parties. There is an accompanying sense of erotic intoxication. This is a milieu familiar to us from the paintings of Degas, Lautrec, Manet, Hopper, Sargent and many others. Liepke, painting his contemporary cast of provocative characters, makes a connection with the past and presents us with an archetypal portrait. The inhabitants of this 'bohemian' world are as serious and worthy of study as anyone.
Works
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Malcolm LiepkeBoy in Baseball Cap, 2023Oil on canvas9 x 10 in -
Malcolm LiepkeLying in Turquoise, 2023Oil on canvas9 x 12 in
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Malcolm LiepkeTwo Women, 2023Oil on canvas38.1 x 58.4 cm
15 x 23 in -
Malcolm LiepkeArms Outstretched, 2022Oil on canvas24 x 18 in
61 x 46 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeCurves and Folds, 2022Oil on canvas20 x 30 in
51 x 76 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeEmerging, 2022Oil on canvas50 x 34 in
127 x 109 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeGirl on a Stool, 2022Oil on canvas18 x 14 in
46 x 36 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeIn The Dark, 2022Oil on canvas62 x 46 in
158 x 117 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeInner Voices, 2022Oil on canvas48 x 36 in
122 x 92 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeLegs, 2022Oil on canvas44 x 32 in
112 x 81 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeLooking Back, 2022Oil on canvas48 x 36 in
122 x 92 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeNude Embrace, 2022Oil on canvas20 x 16 in
51 x 41 cm -
Malcolm LiepkePink Dress, 2022Oil on canvas16 x 12 in
41 x 31 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeSitting (Nude Torso), 2022Oil on canvas17 ½ x 23 ½ in
44.5 x 60 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeThree Men in Grey, 2022Oil on canvas18 x 24 in
46 x 61 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeThree Sides of Me, 2022Oil on canvas42 x 60 in
107 x 152 cmHand-signed by artist -
Malcolm LiepkeTwo Jokers, 2022Oil on canvas44 x 42 in
112 x 107 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeYoung Man in Stocking Cap, 2022Oil on canvas20 x 20 in
60 x 60 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeDive Into the Abyss, 2019Oil on canvas48 x 60 in
122 x 152 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeMagdalena, 2019Oil on canvas48 x 36 in
122 x 92 cm -
Malcolm LiepkeSummer Breeze, 2018Oil on canvas18 x 16 in$ 17,500.00
46 x 41 cm
Exhibitions
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Tribeca Pool Party
9 Jul - 24 Aug 2024Read more -
Tribeca Summer Show
27 Jul - 19 Aug 2023Against the backdrop of sun-kissed skyscrapers and bustling streets, Friedrichs Pontone is thrilled to present our Tribeca Summer show, an extraordinary group exhibition that encapsulates the eclectic spirit of this...Read more -
Featuring The Figure
9 Feb - 8 Apr 2023Friedrichs Pontone presents a portfolio exhibition of six artists, who demonstrate a variety of approaches to contemporary figurative art, both in theme and technique.Read more -
LAUNCH
9 Sep - 2 Oct 2022A new contemporary art gallery, Friedrichs Pontone, opens in Tribeca. A joint venture between Martin Friedrichs from New York and Domenic Pontone from London that combines a wealth of art...Read more
Art Fairs
