Mike Bidlo (American, b. 1953)
An American conceptual and controversial artist, Mike Bidlo was born on October 20, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois. Staying in his home state he attended the University of Illinois and later received his MFA from Southern Illinois University.
A key figure in the Appropriationist movement in New York in the 1980’s, his work can be referenced to appropriation art, taking pre-existing images, paintings, and sculptures, but doing little to no alteration. He studies the artists and their pieces, appropriating pieces from 20th century moguls, from Picasso, Pollock, Warhol and more. Whether it be paintings, sculptures, or performances pieces. At one time he famously reenacted an evening at Warhol’s factory or play out Pollock’s action painting. In 2003, he held an exhibition at the MOMA’s PS1, “Matisse/Picasso: A Cross Examination”, on the walls he created larger than life murals of Matisse’s and Picasso’s heads, both appropriated from their self-portraits. At another one of his performances he reenacted an infamous scene of Pollock urinating in Peggy Guggenheim’s fireplace.
He’s been featured in many group exhibitions and created solo shows for audiences from London, Tokyo, Oslo, and New York, where he now resides.
