Roy De Forest (1930-2007) Untitled 1976 pastel, pencil on paper 22.5" x 30"
georgeadamsgallery.com
Roy De Forest was a seminal figure in the Bay Area Funk movement along with William Wiley, Robert Arneson, Robert Hudson, Clayton Bailey, David Gilhooly. They were later joined by Jim Nutt and Gladys Nilsson who taught at Sacramento State University for a time in the early 70's before heading back to Chicago to rejoin their cohorts in the Hairy Who.
I always felt there was a subtle difference with the Chicago gritty urban funk and the more humor based and spiritual quality of the bay area artists. De Forest is a classic example of the latter. Perhaps it was the times (mid to late 60's) with its anti establishment attitude and let it all hang out music and social upheaval. What ever it was, it produced some of the best and most original art the west coast has ever seen.
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