Restoring Roy Lichtenstein’s Tokyo Brushstrokes I and II
What’s under wraps at the Parrish? We are happy to report that the re-painting of Roy Lichtenstein’s (American, 1923–1997) Tokyo Brushstrokes I and II is underway in the Museum’s South Meadow. Paul Amaral, leading Lichtenstein fabricator, and his team from Amaral Custom Fabrications, Inc. are working hard to bring the sculptures back to their original vibrant state. The re-painting process is slated to be completed by the end of the summer.
Tokyo Brushstrokes I and II were first installed in the South Meadow of the Parrish Art Museum on April 17, 2014, marking the first long-term outdoor installation at the Parrish Art Museum’s Herzog & de Meuron-designed building.
Since April 2019 the works have been on long-term loan from the Collection of Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman, courtesy of the FLAG Art Foundation.
Tokyo Brushstroke I & II is made of painted and fabricated aluminum—fabricated by Paul Amaral/Amaral Custom Fabrication in Rhode Island. Taller than the Parrish itself, Tokyo Brushstroke I stands 33 feet high (actual dimensions: 396 x 112 x 90 inches) and weighs over 12,000 pounds. Tokyo Brushstroke II weighs approximately 5,000 pounds, stands 19 feet high (actual dimensions: 233 ¾ x 105 x 39 inches), and is situated closer to Montauk Highway.
Tokyo Brushstroke I & II is part of a series of “brushstroke” sculptures constructed mainly in the 1990s. Similar “Brushstroke Groups” can be found at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and Indianapolis Museum of Art, among others.
Read more about the sculptures here.
Parrish Meadow. Photo Hazel Hutchins
