Astral Circus by Bob Venosa
1936 – 2011
New York City born, Venosa was transported into the world of fine art in the late 60’s after having experimented with psychedelics and having seen the work of the Fantastic Realists – Ernst Fuchs and Mati Klarwein in particular – both of whom he eventually met and studied under.
Robert Venosa moved to Europe in the early 70’s settling in the celebrated
Mediterranean village of Cadaques in Spain, where he enjoyed the honorable and mighty pleasure of getting to know and hang with neighbor Salvador Dali, as well as the numerous notables in the world of art and literature who gravitated to that magic locale.
Much of Venosa’s work and attendant exploits have been published in his book, Noospheres (Pomegranate Artbooks). In it Venosa talks of the attitudinal complications of his returning to the U.S. after years of living in Europe: “In 1982 – due to a number of commissions,commercial allurements and a burgeoning recognition of my work afforded through extensive exposure in OMNI magazine and on record album covers – I started traveling to the U.S., dividing my time there between New York and Boulder, Colorado.”
“Enjoying the clear, clean mountain air and relatively sane consciousness of its populace, I settled on Boulder as my base in the States. Compared to the raucous, colourful activity of Cadaques, Boulder appeared somewhat anorexic. But the siren of success, along with the Muse of Mammon, wailed a seductive tune, irresistible inits promise but demanding in the changes deemed necessary if I were to singalong: The Merry Mediterranean mirage would have to give way to the AggressiveAmerican Kindergarten for a season or two. There would be exhibits to arrange, press releases to disseminate, collectors to romance, critics to confuse and an entirely new sense of art to cultivate. My idea of art, as previously understood, would require major surgery if I were to immerse myself in theAmerican standards and expectations of what that word represented.”
Until his departure, August 9th, 2011, Robert Venosa maintained studios in both Boulder, Colorado, and Cadaques.
700 North Colorado Blvd. Box 336
Denver, Colorado 80206
Check your inbox soon for our newsletter!
Good music comes out of people playing together, knowing what they want to do and going for it.
Keith Richards
Sign up for our email to be one of the first to learn about new art from our archives, special collector releases, news, events and much more!
“Skeleton and Roses” Limited Edition Poster by Stanley Mouse.