Men are not for burning, 1971-2006, gouache on paper, (reproduction as free poster).

In Leon Golub’s paintings, classical motifs are blended with raw materiality, depicting the pervasive violence of the contemporary world. Golub’s expressive style first received attention in 1959 when his paintings were included in the exhibition New Images of Man at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. As a critique of art that places aesthetics above ethics, Golub responded to the existential and political conditions of his time. These included the revelations of the Holocaust and atrocities of the Vietnam War. Golub’s visual language developed alongside the work of his wife, painter Nancy Spero, who is also included in the Liberation Chapter. Like Spero, Golub was inspired by archaic sculpture and ancient mythology. His images of priests, kings and mythic animals evoke eroded monuments. In the mid-1960’s, Golub changed his technique from coruscated lacquer to acrylic paint, and began producing large-scale paintings of battling figures based on Classical models.

The political conflicts of the late 1960’s further propelled Golub’s engagement with social issues. In reaction to the escalating Vietnam War, he began his Napalm series in 1969. The body emerges as a container for the experience of atrocities. His naked figures, dry-brushed onto unprimed linen, are suspended in an atmosphere of casual death and horror. For the Liberation Chapter, Golub’s print Men are not for Burning , from 1971, will be available as a free poster at the Fine Arts Museum. Across a large, ravaged figure Golub imposed the bold statement, and the print directly referenced the Vietnam War.
(CNG)