Standing Nude by Carl Plansky

This is a dramatic figural painting by artist Carl Plansky. It is of a standing male nude. This is one of Plansky's most frequent subjects. His painting is very colorful and gestural very much in keeping with his association with abstract expressionists. The abstracted figure stands poses with one leg on a chair with arms positioned to give a very steadfast forthright impression. The face is a blur of pigment. The figure is framed with blue against white implying front lighting and shadows, but ultimately ambiguous. The style, brushwork, and subject are unmistakable. Several of his nudes have appeared at auction in recent years and they are very similar in the use of colors, the gestural brushwork and the bold poses. Many were painted on paper rather than canvas. The piece is unsigned (although there is evidence of the tread of a shoe in the lower left). Plansky frequently did not sign his work. This piece was obtained from his partner after Plansky's death.

Carl Plansky (1951 - 2009) was an important figure in American abstract expressionism. While he was a painter in the second generation of Abstract Expressionists, he was much better known for his expertise in creating paints and pigments. Many of the New York Abstract Expressionist painters used paints he prepared. HIs approach to creating paints led to creation of the company, Williamsburg Handmade Oils Paint for Artists still know as the most prestigious fine art paint. Most notably, he had a special relationship with Joan Mitchell. He studied under Mitchell in New York and in France. He credits her with shaping his artistic vision and affirming his commitment to the Abstract Expressionist aesthetic. When Mitchell moved back to France, Plansky maintained her apartment in New York, until his death in 2009. He is mentioned in her biography. Plansky did not change his approach to painting as artistic trends came and went. He is famously quoted as saying that, "...the art world is cool and [I am] too hot and passionate.” Plansky was also a respected teacher at the New York Studio School. In 2010 in celebration of his life and accomplishments, an exhibition titled 'Carl Plansky & Friends', was held at The Sam and Adele Golden Gallery. In addition to paintings by Plansky other exhibitors included a veritable Who's Who of contemporary artists including Milton Resnick, Pat Passlof, Jake Berthot, Cora Cohen, Susanna Coffey, Bill Jensen, Margrit Lewczuk, Judith Linhares, and Mary Jo Vath. This speaks volumes to the impact and legacy of Carl Plansky.