Paul Thek (November 2, 1933 - August 10, 1988) was an American painter and, later, sculptor and installation artist. [1] Born in Brooklyn, he studied locally, at the Art Students League and the Pratt Institute. In 1951 he entered the Cooper Union.
Although Thek began as a painter, he became known later in life for his sculptures and installations. Notable works include Meat Pieces (1964-66), a series of wax sculptures of human body parts, and The Tomb, a bright pink pyramid installation or "environment", which was badly damaged in 1981 but is documented in Edwin Klein's black and white photographs.[2] Today his work may be seen in numerous collections, including that of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.
Thek, who was bisexual,[3] died of AIDS related illness in New York City in 1988.