{"product_id":"lovely-stack-by-patrick-hughes","title":"Lovely Stack by Patrick Hughes","description":"Patrick Hughes\u003cbr\u003e b. 1939 | British \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cem\u003eLovely Stack\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Signed, titled and dated “Lovely Stack \/ Patrick Hughes \/ 2026” (en verso)\u003cbr\u003e Oil on panel \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A striking homage to some of the most iconic works in modern and contemporary art, \u003cem\u003eLovely Stack\u003c\/em\u003e exemplifies Patrick Hughes’ celebrated \"reverspective\" technique. Through ingeniously constructed and painted three-dimensional forms, Hughes creates a dynamic optical illusion in which the composition appears to shift as the viewer moves. In this vertical arrangement, he constructs a surreal tower of instantly recognizable artworks, resulting in a playful yet intellectually charged meditation on the visual language of art history and contemporary culture. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At the base rests a painted chair inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s \u003cem\u003eChair\u003c\/em\u003e, supporting a sky-and-rainbow patterned box referencing Hughes’ own \u003cem\u003eSolid Sky\u003c\/em\u003e. Above, a shark appears suspended within an aquarium, evoking Damien Hirst’s iconic conceptual work, \u003cem\u003eThe Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living\u003c\/em\u003e. Caught in the shark’s open mouth is a \u003cem\u003eBalloon Dog\u003c\/em\u003e from Jeff Koons, a pointed gesture that folds Koons’ glossy pop exuberance into Hirst’s clinical spectacle. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Layered above are folded, blanket-like forms that reference Maria Watts’ \u003cem\u003eBlanket Story\u003c\/em\u003e and its poetic meditation on material memory. The composition culminates in Robert Indiana’s \u003cem\u003eLOVE\u003c\/em\u003e, anchoring the stack with one of the most recognizable symbols of contemporary art. The illusionistic construction intensifies the sense of instability, as each element appears to tilt, hover and shift with the viewer’s movement. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hughes’ practice is rooted in decades of investigation into perception, paradox and spatial cognition. Since his first \"reverspective\" installation, \u003cem\u003eSticking-Out Room\u003c\/em\u003e (1964) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, he has developed a distinctive visual language that fuses architectural structure with painted illusion. His work draws upon both scientific inquiry and conceptual art traditions, reflecting his academic background, including a doctorate in science from King’s College London in the psychology of perception. His works are held in major institutional collections, including the British Library and the British Academy, affirming his significance as both innovator and theorist of visual illusion. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dated 2026 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Panel: 33 5\/8\" high x 15 7\/8\" wide (85.4 x 40.3 cm)\u003cbr\u003e Frame: 35 3\/4\" high x 18\" wide x 6 1\/2\" deep (90.8 x 45.7 x 16.5 cm)","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44740448977031,"sku":"32-2562","price":67500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2562_1.png?v=1780144341","url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/products\/lovely-stack-by-patrick-hughes","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}