American, 1913–1980. Philip Guston’s journey through different art movements in the course of his career established him as a leading member of Neo-Expressionism. After beginning as a muralist and later transitioning to becoming an abstract expressionist, Guston found the courage to return to figurative painting during the last few years of his life, at a time when Abstract Expressionism was at its peak. Guston’s work is recognized for its cartoonist imagery and bold brushwork, often portraying a cheerful cast of characters. His disembodied and ominous depictions of seemingly mundane objects like bulbs, shoes and bricks were permeated with narratives influenced to his personal life.