Gus Heinze
Retired Power, 2005
Jacquard tapestry
64 x 76 in.
edition of 8

Gus Heinze speaks about his work in seemingly incongruous terms, referring to his impeccably rendered paintings and prints of train components, flowing streams, grapes, and streetscapes as abstract realism. Indeed, although his paintings represent objects or locales in striking detail, the actual subject matter of the images is not the physical objects or places depicted, but rather the way in which light, color, and form harmonize within each particular painting to form a unique and delicate composition. Despite the pre-eminence of abstract painting in New York throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Heinze worked during that period to develop his signature, realist style, citing both Abstract Expressionists and figurative artists as his primary influences. While the range of his work is broad, Heinze’s unique touch and vision pervades each of his images, making them instantly recognizable.