Robert Overby's Esquire Showcard Exhibition at Fredericks & Freiser Reveals Layered Legacy
From September 8 to October 22, 2016, the Fredericks & Freiser gallery in New York City showcased 'Robert Overby: Esquire Showcard: Works from 1969 through 1991.' This exhibition highlighted pieces labeled as 'Esquire Showcard,' featuring a black bar that obscured erotic imagery. A focal point of the display was the painting UT Daylillies (1977), which illustrated a kneeling woman marked with an 'X.' Another notable piece, No Title (ref #35), dated March 17, 21, 22, 1989, and February 8, 1988, included a Polaroid layered with translucent acetate. The back room held Bonnie (1978), which referenced Yellow Blue (1978), while Yellow Scoot (1970) was related to Bonnie. Born in 1935, Overby had limited acclaim before his passing in 1993; this marked his sixth posthumous exhibition at the gallery.
Key facts
- Exhibition ran September 8 to October 22, 2016
- Featured works signed with pseudonym 'Esquire Showcard'
- Black bar covered gallery window to censor erotic content
- UT Daylillies (1977) was central painting with 'X' mark
- No Title (1989) used Polaroid with acetate layers
- Bonnie (1978) featured nude with nipple as vanishing point
- Sixth posthumous Overby exhibition at Fredericks & Freiser
- Overby died in 1993 after limited recognition during lifetime
Entities
Artists
- Robert Overby
Institutions
- Fredericks & Freiser
- artcritical
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Los Angeles
- California