ROBERT HEINECKEN (1931-2006) was a pioneer in the postwar Los Angeles art scene. A self-described "para-photographer," Heinecken extended the traditional practices of photography through darkroom experimentation, double-sided photograms, collage, and other techniques. A precursor of the "Pictures Generation," Heinecken explored themes of commercialism, Americana, kitsch, sex, the body in work that captured the irony and surrealism in contemporary media culture. "Related to 'Transitional Figure Sculptural'" is an important early photographic work that relates to Heinecken's sculptural objects, shown as part of his recent MoMA retrospective.
Since 1964, Heinecken has had over sixty one-person shows including: the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, Tucson, and a 35-year retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago in 1998. His work is included in collections such as the George Eastman House and Mills College Art Gallery. In spring 2014, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, organized the survey exhibition "Robert Heinecken: Object Matter," which travelled to The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, CA.
