Study for Entry into a Town

Primarily a painter and sculptor, Grooms has also always been a prolific draftsman. From the beginning of his career in the late 1950s, his art has been characterized by its humor and exuberant theatricality. Throughout his work Grooms has paid homage to artists from the past whom he admires by parodying their style and imagery. This study was inspired by the early paintings of Lyonel Feininger (1871-1956) in which giant figures strut through small towns, here the French city of Meudon, recognizable by its train viaduct. The dynamism of the scene, its vibrant colors, and accumulation of details are typical of Grooms's manner, which effortlessly blends high art and popular culture.