His art is worth millions but he’s ditching his signature style

Each morning this past summer, artist George Condo arrived at his New York studio, turned on the same John Coltrane “Live in Sweden” CD that he’s worked to for years and began exorcising the figures in his paintings. Syncing with the increasing potency of Coltrane’s saxophone, Condo would hurl paint at the canvas, then demolish and resurrect the human forms that appeared in its wake.

Each morning this past summer, artist George Condo arrived at his New York studio, turned on the same John Coltrane “Live in Sweden” CD that he’s worked to for years and began exorcising the figures in his paintings. Syncing with the increasing potency of Coltrane’s saxophone, Condo would hurl paint at the canvas, then demolish and resurrect the human forms that appeared in its wake.