Thomas Bayrle's Erotic Serigraphs: A Pop Art Retrospective

Thomas Bayrle, a key figure in German and European Pop Art, began producing explicit erotic serigraphs in 1967, influenced by American Pop Art and his background in textile design. His work, characterized by rhythmic grids and serial repetition, critiques mass consumerism. Bayrle exhibited in Italy between 1968 and 1971 at Galleria Apollinaire in Milan and Studio S in Rome, where he won the Premio Stipendium at Villa Massimo. After a decades-long hiatus, he returned to Italy in 2013 at Museo Madre in Naples, in 2016 at Artissima in Turin (presented by Sarah Cosulich), and in spring 2019 with a solo show at Gavin Brown's Enterprise in Rome. His series 'Feuer im Weizen (Sexmappe)' from 1970 remains notable for its vibrant, composite serigraphs that blend energy, humor, and historical significance.