Works of the Artists of Coenties Slip

In the 1950s a group of young artists, who had a lot of talent, an abundance of passion but not much money, settled into the old factory buildings in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. The industrial spaces, once used for manufacturing sails, had high ceilings and enormous rooms that were perfect for use as living and studio space. That section of Brooklyn, along the East River, was called Coenties Slip.

Many of the artists of Coenties Slip changed the landscape of American art. They had a profound influence of American culture and on each other. Their works can be found in major museums around the world and are available at Surovek Gallery.

Jasper Johns, 1930 - present

Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns were among the first artists to settle into Coenties Slip. Johns repeated use of flags, targets, letters and numbers painted in his thick, lush style, was a critical success and his career took off.

Best known for his series of Flag paintings, the first of which is in the permanent collection of MoMA. In 2o1o, one the Flag series was reportedly sold for $110 million.

At age 90, Johns is still working at his home in Sharon, Connecticut and on the island of Saint Martin.

Robert Indiana, 1928-2018

Robert Indiana, best know for his iconic LOVE sculptures, was influenced by fellow artist, Ellsworth Kelly, who convinced Indiana to give up figurative painting and focus on his hard-edged geometric designs. Indiana died in 2018. He spent the last part of his life in relative seclusion at his home on the the remote island of Vinalhaven in Maine.

Ellsworth Kelly, 1923-2015

Ellsworth Kelly was one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. His hard-edged designs were, ironically, inspired by birds, plants, Matisse, Picasso and camouflage.

James Rosenquist, 1933-2017

James Rosenquist worked as a sign painter before focusing on his own work as a fine artist, who used his graphic skills to create pop art that is part of the permanent collections of major museums around the world.