Mel Ramos

Mel Ramos (1935-2018), born in Sacramento, California, lived and worked in the Bay Area and later in Horta de San Juan, Spain. A prominent figure of American Pop Art, he is best known for his paintings of idealized female nudes and comic-book superheroes. From the 1960s onward, Ramos combined pin-up figures with brightly coloured consumer products and imagery drawn from advertising, creating playful and often ironic compositions that blur the boundaries between fine art, popular culture and commercial imagery. His distinctive visual language is characterized by crisp outlines, saturated colours and a polished, highly graphic aesthetic.