Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021)
1962
Oil on canvas
Although associated with gambling and banned in some cities, pinball machines became an American phenomenon and were hugely popular across the country in the 1950s and 1960s. One of Wayne Thiebaud’s most ambitious and complex works, this painting seems, at first glance, to be a straightforward depiction of an arcade of brightly coloured pinball machines waiting to be played. However, Thiebaud redesigned their square backglasses to recall recent developments in abstract painting, such as the squares of Frank Stella, the targets of Kenneth Noland and the grids of Ellsworth Kelly. In doing so, Thiebaud folded together contemporary art and popular culture, presenting both as modern entertainment.