Ricco/Maresca is pleased to present an exhibition comprising more than 170 vibrant works on paper left behind by the previously unknown artist Nelson Patrick Viola. These works, which have never been exhibited and are collectively named Newspaper Girls, invariably depict women with bold lines and intense color blocks. Information handed down from one custodian of the oeuvre to the next indicates that Viola scoured newspapers to collect photographs of women, which he then used as the basis for each of his portraits. Every work is unique in its individuality, yet undoubtedly part of one artist’s vision. All the drawings were made in 14 x 17-inch spiral sketchbooks, sometimes signed and dated—with all the dates falling between the early and mid-1960s.
The son of two Italian immigrants, Viola was born in November 1910 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He spent most of his young adult life working for a construction company at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal—until 1940, when he was drafted into the United States Armed Forces at the onset of history’s deadliest war. Viola was a Technician Fifth Grade soldier; he was not trained for combat but was recognized for his “specialized skills” in construction. Though the duration of Viola’s service is unknown, he survived the war and spent the remainder of his life working as a salesman in an auto shop. Not much is known about Viola’s personal life aside from a few basic facts: he spent the entirety of his life in Connecticut, married twice, had children with both wives, and lived to the age of 98.
The contrast between the bold expressiveness of Viola’s portraits and the stark obscurity of his life reveals the private world of an image collector fascinated with femininity, youth, and the presentation of self. It also highlights the mysterious process through which a self-taught artist transformed the popular culture and aesthetic sensibilities of his time into art created for his own pleasure.
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All works:
Untitled, ca. 1960sColored pencil on paper17 x 14 in (43.2 x 35.6 cm)$2,000 ea. -
Newspaper photograph found with Viola's oeuvre.
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The role of women in America is another aspect of society that shifted dramatically in the 1960s. Fueled by the publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, many women across the nation grew frustrated with their limited opportunities in society and began to break out of the domestic mold to pursue their own ambitions. Viola’s Newspaper Girls may reflect the increasing presence of women in the professional realm, as they spent more time away from home and became more frequently covered in local news and stories. The artist’s chief concern, however, seemed to be the transmutation of ordinary newspaper headshots to the status of iconic portraits. Viola’s women are augmented and deeply infused with color, rendered in sinuous, simplified lines that make them appear both flat and sculptural.
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Viewing Viola’s oeuvre en masse is striking; the works “speak” in unison, yet each has highly stylized features. The artist’s methodical and diligent use of colored pencil results in thickly laid pigments that are smooth and blended, with a waxy sheen. The women look at the viewer fully situated in their environment, cradled into their respective compositions with a sense of stillness that is soothing to the eye. Hair is feathered with graphite shadows, eyelashes are geometric and defined, fully encircling each woman’s eyes. In the occasional open-mouthed smile, the women’s teeth are pearly, uniform, and individually drawn. Features are soft, rounded, and almost mousy, painting the Newspaper Girls as both approachable in their 1960s aesthetic and hermetically sealed into their surface.
This exhibition offers a compelling glimpse into the cultural fabric of mid-20th century America. Viola’s Newspaper Girls capture a sense of modernity and timelessness, while remaining the testament of an artist’s secret obsession. Their striking presence invites viewers to uncover the intricate layers of Viola's creative journey and the era that inspired it.
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SEE THE REST OF THE NEWSPAPER GIRLS HERE
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Concurrently on view in Gallery Two:
Hiroyuki Doi: Tiny Circles
Visit the online viewing room here.
