Pop Surrealism

Seung Urn Kim

M a s te r o f A rts in Illu stratio n

Fashion In s titu te o f Tech n o lo g y
A ugust 2010
 UMI Number: EP72229

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A bstract

Pop Surrealism is an active, an ongoing visual art m o v e m e n t begun in Los Angeles,

California in th e late 1970s. It is also o fte n know n by th e nam e “ L o w b ro w A rt.” A lthough

th e tw o term s are used interchangeably, th e y represent tw o slightly sim ilar yet distinct art

m o vem en ts. Because Pop Surrealism is still developing as an a rt fo rm it has a short history,

m ixing these tw o term s and d efin in g each art m o vem en t is still s o m ew h at controversial.

First, L o w b ro w a rt is w id esp read, based on th e unrestricted inspiration o f counter­

culture icons such as h o t rod s tre e t culture, underground comics, punk music, and o th er

subcultures. L o w b ro w a rt is ch aracterized as experim ental, exp lo rato ry, subversive, and

rebellious. R o b ert W illiam s first used th e te rm o f L o w b ro w a rt to explain his w orks and

fa ith f o r art. R epresentative artists o f this m o vem en t include R ob ert W illiam s and Gary

Panter. L o w b ro w a rt w as fu rth e r develo p ed and popularized th ro u g h th e publication of

Juxtapoz m agazine, w hich w as fo u n d e d by R obert W illiam s and a group o f artists and

collectors. L o w b ro w origins w e re influenced by a rt m ovem ents o f th e early 20th century,

especially Dadaism; such a rt m o v em en ts questioned th e differences b e tw e e n high and low

a rt, fin e a rt and fo lk a rt, and p o p u lar culture and high a rt culture. L o w b ro w a rt was

developed and tra n sferred m o re and m o re th ro u g h various activities.

In th e 1990s, m any g re a t co n tem p o rary artists em erg ed th ro u g h th e ir exhibitions

p o rtrayin g visually dynam ic narratives a t Roq La Rue gallery in S eattle. Th eir artistic trends

are m o re individual, refined, and provocative. These artists arose fro m L o w b ro w , b u t th eir

styles d iffe r slightly fro m L o w b ro w . Also, som e artists do n o t w a n t to call them selves

L o w b ro w artists. The subsequent a rt m o v e m e n t w as first nam ed Pop Surrealism by Kirsten

A nderson, w h o is fo u n d e r and o w n e r o f Roq La Rue gallery. Today, Pop Surrealists are

actively w o rk in g in various fields, such as com m ercial art, fashion, exhibition, movies, and

i
music. Som e fam o u s artists o f Pop Surrealism are M a rk Ryden, Shag, Todd Schorr, Camille

Rose Garcia, and Liz M cg ra th . T h eir artw orks blend technical craftsm anship w ith fantastical

im agery and visually energetic narratives. Pop Surrealism artw o rks are rep resented by toys,

sculpture, installation, and digital a rt as w ell as in paintings. Pop Surrealist illustration has

occupied a significant position fo r com p reh en d in g co n tem p o rary art.

 Thesis Defense Committee
for
Seung Lim Kim

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Illustration
in the Graduate School of the Fashion Institute of Technology

May 8, 2010

Approved

Prof. Melanie Rejffn, Associate Chair Prof. Vincent Di Fate, Thesis Coordinator
C O P Y R IG H T © 2 0 1 0 S E U N G L IM K IM
A L L R IG H T S R E S E R V E D
 CONTENTS

Abstract................................................................................................................................................. i
Title.........................................................................................................................................................i i
Copyright Notice.................................................................................................................................iv
Content................................................................................................................................................. v
List of Illustrations............................................................................................................................. vi
Introduction.........................................................................................................................................x

Chapter i Pop Surrealism Influences and History

1. The appearance of ‘Lowbrow art’ in the 1970s...........................................................1

2. The advent of ‘Pop Surrealism’ in the 1990s.............................................................. 16

Chapter 2 Featured Artists o f Lowbrow A rt

1. Robert Williams................................................................................................................23

2. Gary Panter....................................................................................................................... 33

Chapter 3 Featured Artists o f Pop Surrealism

1. JoshAgle........................................................................................................................... 41

2. Mark Ryden....................................................................................................................... 51

3. Todd Schorr......................................................................................................................66

Chapter 4 Interviews

1. Elizabeth Mcgrath.......................................................................................................... 74

2. Alex Gross........................................................................................................................ 80

3. Scott Musgrove.............................................................................................................. 86

4. Nicolletta Ceccoli............................................................................................................ 90

Chapter 5 Summary.................................................................................................................... 96

Endnotes............................................................................................................................................ 97

Bibliography.....................................................................................................................................102

Author’s Biographical Data..........................................................................................................104

v
L is t of Il l u s t r a t io n s

1. P h o to g rap h er unkn o w n , 1934, Ford H ot Rod Pierson Brothers coup e....................... 2

2. Ed Roth (1932-2001), Brother Rat Fink Collectible Shirt, m edium u n kn o w n ............... 3
3. Ed “ Big D addy” Roth (1932-2001), Rat Fink........................................................................... 3
4. A rtist u n k n o w n ,Terrors o f the Cungle #18 Aug. 1952, m edium u n k n o w n .................... 4
5. A rtist un kn o w n , Shock Suspenstories # 6 . Dec.1952-Jan.1953,
m edium u n k n o w n .............................................................................................................................. 4
6. Hanna Barbera, The Flintstones, ABC, 1960-1966................................................................. 5
7. Hanna Barbera, The Jetsons, ABC, 1962-1963..........................................................................5
8. Rick Griffin (1944-1991), A m erican San Francisco Rock Poster:
Family Dog Productions, "Eternal Reservoir," Quicksilver Messenger Service;
Kaleidoscope; Avalon Ballroom, 1968, lith o g rap h ...................................................................6
9. R o b ert W illiam s (1943-), Death on the Boards, year unknow n ,
Oil on canvas..................................................................................................................................... 6
10. A rtist u n kn o w n , MAD M ag azin e Cover, S ep tem b er 2 0 0 8 , m edium u n kn o w n .......... 7
11. A rtist u n kn o w n , MAD M ag azin e Cover, D ecem b er 2001, m edium u n kn o w n .............7
72. Gary P an ter (1950-), Jimbo N o .7, Look at the Beast Which Has Forced M e Back,
1997, Zongo Comics, Acrylic on p a p e r.................................................................................... 8
73. Gary P an ter (1950-), Jimbo N0.1, Hillbilly Punkers Explore the Land Unknown,
1995, Zongo Comics, Acrylic on p ap er.....................................................................................8
14. R o b ert W illiam s (1943), Siren o f the Nebulas, 1992, Oil on Canvas.............................. 10
15. The Pizz, Badass Tiki, 1998, acrylic on canvas............................................................................. 11
16. The Pizz, Oskorei (W ild Hunt), 2000, acrylic on canvas................................................... 12
17. Gary P anter (1950-), Gideon and th e Fish, 1986, acrylic on p ap er...............................13
18. Lori Earley, Caterpillar Dream, 2003, Oil on linen............................................................... 14
19. Lori Earley, MS.V, 2 0 0 8 , oil on b o ard ......................................................................................14
20. Lori Earley, Cocktail Hour, 2007, oil on b o ard ......................................................................14
21. Juxtapoz M ag azin e January 2007 Subscriber Cover #72, A rtist unknow n,
m edium u n k n o w n .......................................................................................................................... 15
22. Juxtapoz M ag azin e S ep tem b er 2007 N ew sstand cover # 8 0 ,
A rtist u n kn o w n , M ed iu m u n k n o w n ......................................................................................... 15
23. Juxtapoz M ag azin e D ecem b er 20 0 8 N ew sstand Cover #95,
A rtist u n kn o w n , m edium u n k n o w n ......................................................................................... 15

vi
24. Camille Rose Garcia (1970-), Orphaned Nihilist Escape Ship, 2005,
m edium u n kn o w n ........................................................................................................................16
25. Camille Rose Garcia (1970-), Antarctic Suburban Outpost, 2006,
m edium u n k n o w n ........................................................................................................................16
26. Liz M cg rath , Dearth by Desire, 2007, w o o d , clo th ........................................................... 17
27. Liz M cg rath , In the Sweet, 2 000, w o o d , resin................................................................... 17
28. Glenn Barr (1932-), The Birth o f Venus on Avenue B, 2002,
acrylic on m aso n ite......................................................................................................................18
29. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Rong Yark, 2 0 0 8 , oil on canvas..................................................... 19
30. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Sophia's Bubbles, 2 0 08, oil on canvas........................................ 20
31. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Grotto o f the Old Mass, 2008, oil on canvas............................. 21
32. Todd Schorr, An Ape Allegory, 2007, G raphite on p a p e r..............................................22
33. Todd Schorr (1963-), An Ape Allegory, 2007, acrylic on p ap er....................................22

34. R obert W illiam s (1943-), Bastardizing The A utonom y of Person,

Place and Thing, 2000, oil on canvas................................................................................. 24
35. R obert W illiam s (i943-)> A rt's Triumph Over Substance, 2000,
oil on canvas..............................................................................................................................24
36. R obert W illiam s (1943-), title unknow n, 2 0 0 7 ,oil on canvas........................................23
37. R o b ert W illiam s (1943-), Enchilada De Amore, 1988, oilon canvas..............................26
38. R obert W illiam s (1943-), Pecos Fiona and Her One W o m an Range
W a r Against Troglodytic Hipsters, 1987, oil on canvas................................................ 27
39. Ed “ Big D addy” Roth (1932-2001), Rat Fink, 2006, m edium u n kn o w n .................... 28
40. Ed “ Big D addy” Roth (1932-2001), Rat Find Joke Book, 2 0 06,
m edium u n k n o w n ................................................................................................................... 29
41. Ed “ Big D addy” Roth (1932-2001), Rat Fink coloring Book, 2 0 06,
m edium u n k n o w n ................................................................................................................... 29
42. R obert W illiam s (i9 43 -), JUXTAPOZ Cover, title unknow n, 2 0 09,
oil on canvas.............................................................................................................................. 29
43. artist unknown, Zap Comix # .0 ,1 9 6 7 , m edium u n kn o w n ............................................ 30
44. artist unknown, Zap Comix #.1,1967, m edium u n kn o w n ............................................. 30
45. artist unknown, Zap Comix #.2,1968, m edium u n kn o w n ............................................ 30
46. artist unknown, Zap Comix, 1968, m edium u n kn o w n ................................................... 30
47. Robert Williams (1943-), Nostradamus and the Astrological Planet
Skinner, 1993, oil on canvas.....................................................................................................31
48. Robert Williams (1943-), Hot Rod Race, 1976, acrylic on b o ard .................................... 32
49. Gary P anter (1950-), Pixieland, 1986, acrylic on p ap er.................................................. 33
50. p h o to g ra p h e r u n kn o w n , Pee w e e ’s Playhouse, HBO ,198o.............................................. 34
51. Gary Pnater (1950-), Jimbo N 0 .4 ,1996, m edium u n k n o w n .......................................... 35
52. Gary P nater (1950-), Jimbo N 0 . 5 , 1996, m edium u n k n o w n ........................................... 35
53. Gary P nater (1950-), W aiting for Waco, The NewYorker, 1993,
m edium u n k n o w n ......................................................................................................................36
54. Gary P nater (1950-), Puffer, 2 0 09, acrylic on canvas....................................................... 37
55. Gary P nater (1950-), Turn Handle, 2010, acrylic on canvas............................................ 38
56. Gary P nater (1950-), Last Glare, 2010, acrylic on canvas................................................. 38
57. Gary P n ater (1950-), Paul Flaherty and Chris Corsano Record Design,
The Hated Music, m edium u n k n o w n .................................................................................... 39
58. Gary P nater (1950-), Compilation Record Design,
Help Us Get High, m edium u n k n o w n .................................................................................... 39
59. Gary Pnater (1950-), Killing Frost, 2003, ink and w ash .....................................................40
60. Gary P nater (1950-), Enwend, 1997, ink and w ash ............................................................ 40

61. Shag (1962-), The Last Leaf, 2 0 0 8 , acrylic on p an el..........................................................42

62. Shag (1962-), Tiki Room Aviary, 2003, acrylic and vinyl on b o ard ............................... 43
63. Shag (1962-), Tangaroa, 2003, acrylic and vinyl on b o ard ............................................. 43
64. Shag (1962-), One Enchanted Evening, 2003, acrylic and vinyl on b o ard ...................44
65. Shag (1962-), Smudge Pot, 2 0 0 9 m edium u n k n o w n ........................................................ 45
66. Shag (1962-), “ I W i i r , 2010, archival digital print on canvas......................................... 46
67. Shag (1962-), Black Eyes, 2010, archival digital p rint on canvas....................................46
68. Shag (1962-), Unexplainable Pains, 2 0 09, acrylic on p an el..............................................47
69 . Shag (1962-), Utam ed Pet, 2 0 0 8 , acrylic on p an el............................................................. 4 8
70. Shag (1962-), The Good and Faithful Son, 2010, acrylic on panel...................................49
71. Shag (1962-), Prince From The Biomass, 2009, m ediu m u n kn o w n .............................. 50
72. M a rk W illiam s (1963-), The Cloven Bunny, 2003, oil on p an el........................................ 51
73. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Rose, 2003, oil on p anel.....................................................................52
74. M a rk W illiam s (1963-), Snow W hite, 1997, oil on p an el................................................... 54
75. M a rk W illiam s (1963-), The Cloven Bunny, 2003, oil on p an el........................................ 55
76. M a rk Ryden (1963-), The Pumpkin President, 1998, oil on canvas............................... 56
77. M a rk Ryden (1963-), 66 Logging Truck, 2006, oil on canvas.......................................... 57
78. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Yosh, 2007, oil on canvas...................................................................58
79. M a rk Ryden (1963-), 58 The Apology, 2006, oil on canvas............................................. 59
80. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Snow Yark, 20 0 8 , oil on p anel......................................................... 60
81. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Abominable, 20 0 8 , oil on canvas....................................................61
82. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Girl in a Fur Skirt, 2008, oil on canvas.......................................... 63
83. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Heaven, 2 0 0 8 , oil on canvas........................................................... 64
84. M a rk Ryden (1963-), Fur Girl, 20 0 8 , oil on canvas............................................................ 65
85. Todd Schorr (1954-), Sugar Shakes, 1998, acrylic on canvas.........................................67
86. Todd Schorr (1 9 5 4 7 ), Parade o f the Damned, 2005, acrylic on canvas...................... 6 8
87. Todd Schorr (1954-), A Pirate's Treasure Dream, 2 0 0 6 , acrylic on canvas................69
88. Todd Schorr (1954-), The Amphibian Frontier, 2008, acrylic on canvas....................70
89. Todd Schorr (1954-), Pilgrim's Progress, 2000, acrylic on canvas................................71
90. Todd Schorr (1954-), When Fairly Tales Collide, 2008, G raphite on p a p e r.................. 72
91. Todd Schorr (1954-), W hen Fairly Tales Collide, 2008, acrylic on p ap er...................... 72
92. Todd Schorr (1954-), Ape Worship, 20 0 8 , acrylic on canvas.......................................... 73

93. Liz M cg rath , Thimble Riggers Schowein haben, 2008,

w o o d , resin, fo a m ....................................................................................................................... 75
9 4. Liz M cg rath , Dear House, 2 0 0 8 , m ixed m ed ia................................................................. 75
95. A lex G ro s s(i9 6 8-), The Last Judgement, 2007, oil on canvas.................................... 8 0
96. Alex G ro ss (i9 68 -), Hierophant, 2 0 0 8 , oil on canvas..................................................... 85
97. A lex Gross, Nimbus, 2 0 0 9 , oil on canvas........................................................................... 86
98. Alex Gross, The Observers, 2 0 0 9 , oil on canvas............................................................. 87
99. N icolletta Ceccoli, Crows, 2 0 0 9 , acrylic on p ap er...........................................................91
100. N icolletta Ceccoli, Evidently Goldgish, 2 008, acrylic on p ap er...................................93
101. N icolletta Ceccoli, Sheryl, 2 0 09, acrylic on paper.......................................................... 95

ix
INTRODUCTION

The purpose o f this investigation is to survey Pop Surrealism illustration and

illustrators and to exam in e th e g ro w in g trends and characteristics o f th e ir activities in

to d a y ’s art. This investigation is focused on Pop Surrealism illustrators w h o are actively

w o rk in g to d ay.

Pop Surrealism is deeply related to my personal style o f w o rk . I usually use th e

visual language o f surrealism to convey m y em o tio n and im agination th ro u g h trad itio n al as

w ell as digital m edium s, d ep en d in g on my illustration style. M o reo ver, I w o rk and develop

m y personal voice continuously. The goal o f this exam in atio n of Pop Surrealism is to

continue fu rth e r exp lo ratio n and understanding o f surrealistic illustration as an expressive,

strong, and symbolic visual language. I believe th a t m y personal style and th e direction fo r

this thesis will be enhanced w ith th e goal o f achieving both em otional and intellectual

advances.

The prim ary investigation is to achieve an understanding of th e definition o f Pop

Surrealism . A n o th e r aspect o f th e investigation is to exam ine co n tem p o rary w o rk in g

illustrators such as R o b ert W illiam s, Gary Panter, M ark Ryden, Shag, Camille Rose Garcia,

and Todd Schorr. Finally, I will seek to com prehend th e im p o rta n t and interestin g trends

and featu res o f th e ir w orks w ith in th e main fields o f th e ir artistic activities.

As w ith o th e r a rt histories, Am erican Illustration has undergone several changes

and unique tren d s, expressed in vastly diverse styles develop ed o ver tim e.

I w a n t to focus on h o w illustrators’ personal voices p ro m o te w ith th e ir individual

visual languages and h o w these languages rep resen t and create th e ir o w n unlim ited ideas

illustration. Also, I w a n te d to obtain th e ir tho u g h ts ab o u t, th e courses o f th e ir w o rk , and

x
th e ir passion fo r th e ir o w n artistic w o rld . By surveying w h a t inspires th e m in th e ir creations.

I hoped to gauge th e scope o f th e ir art. It is also im p o rta n t to co m p rehend th e ir w o rk

processes and w h a t th e y hope to express by th e ir works.

To exp lo re and m o re fu lly understand today's Pop Surrealism tren d s and activities, I

researched using m agazines such as Juxtapoz, Hi Fructose, and Creative Quarterly, w hich

are significant Pop Surrealism publications.

C hapter 1

P o p S u r r e a l is m In f l u e n c e s a n d H is t o r y

T h e A p p e a r a n c e o f “L o w b r o w A r t ” in t h e 1 9 6 0 s

To investigate th e te rm “ Pop Surrealism ,” th e L o w b ro w m o v e m e n t m ust first be

discussed. These tw o term s have p revalently been considered as having th e sam e m eaning.

H o w e ve r, th e re have been som e argum ents fo r and against th e connections b e tw e e n

L o w b ro w a rt and Pop Surrealism. L o w b ro w a rt is an underground visual art m o v e m e n t

w hich originated in th e late 1970s fro m th e Los Angeles, California area. It is in h eren tly an

oppositional c o n fro n tatio n to H ig hbrow art, which can be described as trad itio n al and th e

d o m in an t e m b o d im e n t o f Fine A rt. W hile m any people com bine L o w b ro w a rt and Pop

Surrealism as one m o ve m en t o f art, others state th a t th e tw o are distinct a rt m o vem en ts

th a t only share som e com m on ground.

To fu rth e r explore Pop S u rrealism /Low brow art, know ledge o f A m erica’s cultural

and social background o f th e m id -tw e n tie th century is essential. During th e pop-culture

iconography o f th e 1950s and 1960s A m ericana, a diverse group o f iconoclasts engaged in

a re-exam in a tio n o f th e anachronistic aesthetic in th e circumstances o f co n tem p o rary

society.

1
The resu ltan t m o v e m e n t can perhaps be considered as th e m ost accessible advance in art

since th e Pop A rt m o v e m e n t.1 A m erica during th e 1950s has been said to be a study in

contradictions due to th e fa b led societal co n fo rm ity o f th a t era giving rise to a spirited and

fascinating kitsch co u n tercu ltu re th a t soon pierced th e cultural lexicon. Juvenile

recklessness w as generally associated to h o t rods, surfing, rock ‘n* roll, m o n ster m ovies

and comic books, and middle-class Am erica sw iftly em braced th e aesthetics w ith o u t

fu rth e r looking into th e ideals o f this disposable ethos.

As th e decade o f th e 1960s d aw n ed , hot-rod hero Ed "‘ Big D addy” Roth (1932-

2001) ’s disheveled Rat Fink caricature becam e an increasingly popular ch aracter and

accom plished th e statu re o f a religious icon in th e minds o f Am erican youth, and a

g en eratio n o f artists learned to d ra w fo llo w in g th e style o f Roth and his co n tem p o raries.2

F ig .i P h o to g ra p h e r u n k n o w n , 1934, Ford H o t Rod Pierson B ro th e rs co u p e .

2
F ig. 2 Ed R o th (i9 3 2 -2 0 0 i), B ro th e r R at Fink C o lle c tib le S hirt, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig. 3 Ed “ Big D a d d y " R o th (ig 3 2 -2 0 o i), R at Fink.

3
An increasingly m obile society produced a youthful passion fo r au tom obiles and th eir

etern al creative po ten tialities. As th e prosperity o f the p o s t-w a r years led to a rising

m iddle class, early m odel Fords o f th e 1920s and 1930s w e re abandoned in fa v o r o f status-

symbol sedans. To accen tu ate th e p o te n t ally rash intentions o f th e ir rebellious ow ners,

th ese vehicles w e re fre q u e n tiy d e co rated w ith flames, skulls, and m enacing accessories.3

Furtive im a g nat ons w e re fu rth e r fueled by a continuous d iet o f drive in m o n s te r movies

th a t spaw ned a desire fo r plastic m odel kits fe a tu rin g th e g ro tesq u e stars o f these films,

o fte n show n a t th e w h eel o f a fanciful hot rod. Ghoulish h o rro r comics under th e E.C.

im p rin t introduced th e w o n d e rfu l a rtw o rk and stories o f w riters w h o w o u ld la te r be

th o u g h t literary legends. Public o u trag e o ver th e c o n te n t o f som e o f these publications led

to th e establishm ent o f th e Comics Code, effectively banning comics o f th e h o rro r genre.

Fig- 4 A r tis t u n k n o w n ,Terro rs o f th e C ungle #18 A u g . 1952, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig- 5 A rtis t u n k n o w n , Shock Suspenstories # 6 . Dec.19s2-Jan.1953, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

4
E.C. comics influenced M A D m agazine, w hich indoctrinated an en tire g en eratio n in the

fu n d a m e n ta l principle o f a rt in th e service o f d e g e n e ra te discourse.4

As television p ro ceed ed to p e rm e a te Am erica's awareness im ages o f a m ythical

nuclear fam ily w e re o ffs e t by Rat Pack playboys, M aynard G. Krebb's b eatn ik persona, th e

prehistoric fan tasy o f The Flintstones, and th e futurism o f The Jetsons, - w hich, m o re than

any cath o d e characters, d efin ed o u r assum ptions fo r th e n e w m illennium . A sexually

c o n tro lled society nevertheless p e rm itte d lurid pin-up im agery and racy pulp m agazines to

flourish. Gaudy roadside attractio n s lured tired travelers, and fam ily vacations w e re spent

in o sten tatio u s resort destinations fe a tu rin g alluring carnival attractions and ro w d y rock V

roll dances. D uring this decade o f conform ity, weirdness had indelibly stained th e united

unconscious o f Am erica's y o u th .5

F ig. 6 H a n n a B a rb e ra , The F lintstones, ABC, 1 9 6 0 -1 9 6 6 . Fig. 7 H ann a B a rb era, The Jetsons, ABC, 1962-1963.

The basis fo r th e c u rren t m o v e m e n t w as laid in th e late 1950s and early 1960s a t th e

late Ed Roth's storied M a y w o o d H ot-rod Em porium in Los Angeles. Em ploying th e

services o f artists Rick Griffin (1944-991), R ob ert W illiam s (1943-), and celeb rated pinstriper

5
 Fig. 8 Rick G r if f in ( i9 4 4 - i9 9 i) , A m e ric a n San Francisco Rock Poster: Fam ily D o g Productions,

"E ternal Reservoir," Q uicksilver M essen ger Service; Kaleidoscope; A valo n B allroom , 19 6 8, lith o g ra p h .

Fig. 9 R o b e rt W illia m s ( i9 4 3 ) , D e a th on th e Boards, y e a r u n k n o w n , oil o n canvas.

6
Von D utch (1929-1992), R o th ’s studio becam e a m eetin g spot fo r th e misfits, m iscreants,

and co u n tercu ltu re cognoscenti o f th e e ra .6 The trem endou s influence o f th ese reneg ade

artists w as mainly fo rg o tte n o r n eglected until th e 1990s, w h e n a confluence o f events

reco m m en ced public in te res t in th e inheritance o f A m erica’s unheralded m asters. R obert

W illiam s’ paintings created a sensation at th e historic “ H elter S kelter” exh ib it a t M o C A ’s

Tem porary C o n tem p o rary exh ib it in 1992. The landm ark “ Kustom K ulture” exhibition

celeb rated th e w o rk of Roth, W illiam s, and Von Dutch, as w ell as introducing th e w o rk o f a

host o f th e ir progeny. The s h o w becam e th e catalyst fo r a huge shift in A m erica’s

aesthetics a t th e d a w n o f th e n e w m illennium . It yielded a loose n e tw o rk o f n ew galleries

and a ttra c te d num erous established galleries to shift th e ir focus, invigorated by th e

en erg etic w o rk o f creative young artists.7

Kmr nu

Fig.10 A rtis t u n k n o w n , M A D M a g a z in e C o ver, S e p te m b e r 2 0 0 8 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig. t i M o r t D T'u c k e r(ig 2 9 -), M A D M a g a z in e C o ver, D e c e m b e r 2001, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

7
 L o w b ro w a rt proves to be everything th a t H ig h b ro w art is not, th ro u g h a

w idespread a rt m o v e m e n t based on th e unlim ited faith and inspiration o f counter-cultural

icons. These icons include th e u n derground com ic w o rld , punk music, rock 'n ' roll, h o t rod

s tre e t culture, surfing, m onsters, and o th e r subcultures. L o w b ro w a rt g enerally em erg ed

fro m th e above cultural and historical b ackgro und.8 The Pop S u rrealism /Low bro w

m o v e m e n t w as sp aw n ed in th e 1960s, w ith th e rise o f th e underground com ic scene as

w ell as th e o u tla w b iker/h o tro d scene. U nderg ro u n d comics appeared in th e 1960s and

w e re a strong n ew w av e o f revolution and individual expression. Influenced by th e

Dadaists, M AD m a g a z in e ,* and a g ro w in g questioning o f A m erican society and culture,

Fig. 12 Gary P anter(i950-), Jimbo N0.7, Look at the Beast Which Has Forced M e Back, 1997, Zongo Comics, acrylic on paper.

Fig. 13 Gary P anter(i950-), Jimbo N0.1, Hillbilly Punkers Explore the Land Unknown, 1995, Zongo Comics, acrylic on paper.

*M a d is an influential American hum or and satirical magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman, and publisher William

Gaines in 1952. Its form at is divided into a num ber of recurring segments such as TV and movie parodies, as well as freeform

articles.

8
comics w e re an affo rd ab le and fa s t w ay to com m u nicate ideas and images to a gen eratio n

th a t g re w up in th e visual culture o f television and o th e r im age-loaded m edia. M o s t o f th e

leading comic artists assem bled in th e Bay A rea, and th e m o v e m e n t continued fo r a b o u t a

d ecad e.9 R epresentational artists th a t created w h a t cam e to be kno w n as L o w b ro w art

w e re u n derground cartoonists like R obert W illiam s and Gary Panter.

Robert W il l ia m s

R obert W illiam s (1943-) first used th e te rm “ L o w b ro w A rt” to describe his a rtw o rk

and th a t o f fe llo w artists w h o w e re associated w ith him. Such w o rk w as also o fte n related

to th e nam e “ Pop Surrealism .” R obert W illiam s stated th e reason fo r using th e nam e

L o w b ro w Art:

In 1979 G ilbert o ffe re d to do an art book o f all m y paintings. No o th e r

Publishing com pany a n yw h ere w o u ld dare to u n d ertake such an

u n o rth o d o x project. It w as decided a t th a t tim e, since no authorized

a rt institutions w o u ld recognize this fo rm o f art, to call m y book The

L ow brow A rt o f Robt. Williams. There was never any in ten tio n to m ake

th e title o f m y book th e nam e o f a fledging a rt m o v e m e n t but, over

tim e, th a t seems to be w h a t has transpired. The original co n n o tatio n

was to suggest th a t this self-deprecating nam e w o u ld , over a m a tte r

o f tim e, rise fro m th e lo w e s t cultural phylum o f a rt to ironically climb

to th e to — b u t this w a s n 't a serious conjecture. The te rm ‘ L o w b ro w '

w as always unsettling to m e because it m ade light o f h o w seriously

I to o k m y a rt.10

9
 W illiam s develo p ed early L o w b ro w w orks, and he struggled to find an audience in

th e mid-1970s. He describes him self by saying, “ I am th e po in t m an. I caught all th e fire and

op en ed up th e te rrito ry fo r everyone else.” 1 His w orks are a g eneralization o f influences,

fro m his earlier p ainting as th e a rt d ire c to r fo r Big Daddy R o th ’s s tu d io * in th e m id-1960s,

his u n d erg ro u n d com ic strips in th e late 1960s and early 1970s, his w o rk as a c re a to r o f h ot

rods and as c o m p a trio t o f Von D utch, and th e large, refined oil paintings he did on task fo r

James B rucker’s LA. in th e early 1970s.

Fig. 14 R o b ert W illia m s (i9 4 3 ), Siren o f the Nebulas, 1992, Oil on Canvas.

*E d "B ig D a d d y " R o th (M a r c h 4 ,1 9 3 2 - A p ril 4 , 2 0 0 1 ) w a s an a rtis t a n d c a rto o n is t w h o c re a te d th e h o t ro d icon

R a t Fink a n d o th e r e x tr e m e c h a ra c te rs .

He blends comics, fin e art, and hot-ro d im agery in his visually specialized and skilled

10
paintings. “ W illiam s started it all,” said The Pizz w h o is a great illustrator based on th e

u n d erg ro u n d comics. “ He o p en ed th e door. He w as th e d o o r.” 12

R o b ert W illiam s w as an artist w o rk in g w ith in b o th genres as w ell as doing "Fine

A rt"— paintings th a t w e re show n in galleries and being taken seriously as "A rt." A g roup

o f prim arily sou th ern California artists becam e inspired by him and started artw o rks th at

w e re based in th e ir individual e x p e rim e n t and experien ce— generally connecting w ith

subculture lifestyles such as h o t rod, ta tto o , tiki, lounge, and kitsch nostalgia.13 R obert

W illiam s helped establish th e A rt Boys in th e late 1970s. This loosely associated g ro u p o f

L.A. artists included M a tt G roening, The Pizz, Gary Panter, and M ike Kelly.

Fig. 15 The Pizz, Badass Tiki, 1998, acrylic on canvas.

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 Fig. 16 The Pizz, O skorei(W ild H unt), 2 0 0 0 , acrylic on canvas.

“ W e had to have these lousy a rt shows as an excuse to have a p a rty ," W illiam s said. “W e

had to have a th e m e and everyo n e w o uld do a piece o f a rtw o rk based on th e th e m e . It

had to be th ro w a w ayab le a r t.” W illiam s w a n te d to start an a rt m o v e m e n t on th e basis

o f tran sferrin g u n d erground-com ic figures to canvas. “ I had been talkin g a b o u t th a t fo r

years, beginning in th e 1970s,” W illiam s said. The A rt Boys w as a beginning, but it w ould

ta k e tw e n ty years fo r th e m o v e m e n t to tru ly ta k e o ff.14

Juxtapoz m agazine w as fo u n d ed by a group o f artists and collectors, including W illiam s, in

1994. In his first ed ito rial, W illiam s w ro te , “ O ne fa c to r o f culture th a t has been excluded

fro m th e a rt is th e m o st p o w e rfu l fo rm o f graphics in th e tw e n tie th century. W ith this

m agazine this w ro n g will be rig h te d . W e intended to create and activate im agination and

12
 Fig. 17 G ary P a n te r (t9 5 0 -), Gideon a n d th e Fish, 1 9 8 6, acrylic o n p a p e r.

e n te rta in th e anim al hunger in all o f us.” ' R obert W illiam s established Juxtapoz A r t &

Culture Magazine to d o cu m e n t th e exploding lo w b ro w a rt m o v e m e n t, y e t th e m o v e m e n t

w as still very m uch u n d er th e radar. For m o re th an a decade, Juxtapoz has d o cu m en ted

this m o v e m e n t in a w a y th a t had n ever been done b efo re, validating th e w o rk in an

in te llig e n t fo rm a t, fro m an insider's perspective. In th e in terven ing years, Juxtapoz has

re-b ran d ed and re-im agined itself to b e tte r rep resen t a g en eratio n o f artists in te n t on

w o rk in g outside th e ossified a rt establishm ent.'' M any fam ous illustrators and painters

received th e ir firs t significant discovery in Juxtapoz, including Lori Earley, and M a rk Ryden,

a m o n g others.

13
 n # -

F ig. 18 Lori Earley, C a terp illa r D rea m , 2 0 0 5 , Oil on linen .

Fig. 19 Lori E arley, M S .V , 2 0 0 8 , oil on b o a rd . Fig. 20 Lori E arley, Cocktail H o ur, 2 0 0 7 , oil o n b o a rd .

14
 JUXTAPOZ JUXTAPOZ

F ig. 21 J u x ta p o z M a g a z in e J a n u a ry 2 0 0 7 su b s c rib er c o v e r #7 2 , a rtis t u n k n o w n , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig. 22 Juxtapo z M a g a z in e S e p te m b e r 2 0 0 7 n e w s s ta n d c o v e r # 8 c , a rtis t u n k n o w n , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig. 23 J u x ta p o z M a g a z in e D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 8 n e w s s ta n d c o v e r # 9 5 , a rtis t u n k n o w n , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

The m agazine w as a hit and becam e th e third-largest-selling a rt m agazine in th e country,

tak in g lo w b ro w a rt to a national audience and inspiring artists all o v e r th e U nited States, to

w o rk in th e lo w b ro w g en re. C urrently, Juxtapoz has th e largest circulation o f any a rt

m agazine in th e U n ited States. R o b ert W illiam s has em erg ed as th e eru d ite spokesm an

and titu la r head o f th e m o v e m e n t.17

15
T h e A d v e n t o f “P o p S u r r e a lis m ” in t h e 19 9 0 s

In th e m id-1990s, L o w b ro w a rt was hardly accepted by N e w York critics and th e

m useum w o rld . The reason w as th a t it w as seen as to o folksy, vernacular, cartoony, and

vulgar. In th e late 1990s th e scene w as n arro w and m ostly confined to Southern

California. Through m any artists’ activities, including th e publication o f Juxtapoz

m agazine, this m o v e m e n t focused on fig u rative and rep resen tatio n al a rt w ith a cartoon

style, b u t it gradually ce leb rated artists w h o had o u tstanding technical ta le n t. The best

exam ples are M a rk Ryden (1963-), Camille Rose Garcia (1970-), Glenn Barr (1932-), Liz

M cG rath , Shag (1962-), and Tod Schorr (1954-)-— all o f w h o m are considerably d iffe re n t in

style, y e t th a t

Fig. 2 4 C a m ille Rose G a rc ia (i9 7 0 -), O rp h a n e d Nihilist Escape Ship, 2 0 0 5 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig 25 C am ille Rose C a r c ia (i9 7 0 ), A n ta rc tic S u bu rb an O u tp o s t, 2 0 0 6 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

16
share s o m eth in g indefinable th a t relates th e m to each o th er. They have gradually

tran scen d ed th e rough and unprocessed w o rk o f L o w b ro w , and pursued m o re refined

w o rk w ith th e ir unique individual senses. Th eir w orks are m ore stim ulating, p ro vocative,

and very non-polite. 8

Kirsten A nderson, th e o w n e r and curator o f Roq La Rue Gallery in S eattle, nam ed

th e ir w o rks ‘ Pop S u rrea lism / She said, “ W h e n I w ro te Pop Surrealism, w hich w as th e firs t

survey o f this n ew a rt scene in 2 0 0 4 , I w as originally going to call it ‘L o w b r o w /19 Several

o f th e artists I had asked to be in th e bo ok w e re keen on th e pro ject b u t no lo n g er w a n te d

to be called ‘ L o w b r o w / To th e m it sounded denigrating, w hich m ade sense as m any o f

these artists w e re tran scen d in g th e rough and tum ble w o rk L o w b ro w had first started as

and w as becom ing m o re refin ed . So I had to com e up w ith a n o th e r title ... w hich to o k m e

six m o n th s to do. I latched o n to "Pop Surrealism " th ro u g h Kenny Scharf... I th in k he

coined th e te rm to describe his o w n w o rk , and I th o u g h t it was th e closest

ihwJn:

Fig. 2 6 Liz M c g ra th , D e a rth b y Desire, 2 0 0 7 , w o o d , c lo th . F ig.27 Liz M c g ra th , In th e S w e e t, 2 0 0 0 , w o o d , resin.

17
um brella te rm I could th in k of. A fte r, th a t th e te rm started to becom e used as a n am e fo r

this scene, alth o u g h p eo p le still use L o w b ro w also, since th a t w as th e original n a m e .” 20 I

th in k th a t L o w b ro w and Pop Surrealism are tw o d iffe re n t things, and L o w b ro w b e g o t Pop

Surrealism in a lo t o f ways. The term s can still be fo u n d used interchangeably.

In te re s t in and th e inspiration o f L o w b ro w a rt started to develop m o re and m o re

w ith tim e . N e w artists p ro ceed ed to a p p ear and th e y fre q u e n tly added a m ore “ re fin e d '’

fe e lin g to th e style. W h ile artists had been w o rk in g in th e setting, th e y also began to

d evelop and ex p lo re as w ell. (A good instance o f this is M a rk Ryden being very quickly

e m b ra c e d .) Artists trie d to w o rk w ith m o re fantastical im ages and ideas; consequently

th e w o rks starte d to b ecom e m o re dream like. This tre n d reflected m aterial th a t w as like a

dream , w h e th e r it was a s w e e t d ream , a n ightm are, o r just a freaky d ream — surreal, and

personal. They trie d to focus on w h a t w as really going on in th e ir m inds th ro u g h th eir

personal w o rks. Finally, th e w o rk started to g ro w m o re "b ea utifu l" and have m o re

p alatable im agery. This w as w h a t cam e to be called "Pop Surrealism ." Typical artists o f

Pop Surrealism are Ryden, Camille Rose Garcia, A lex Gross, and Eric W h ite .21

Fig. 28 G lenn B a rr (i9 3 2 ), The B irth o f Venus on A v e n u e B, 2 0 0 2 , acrylic on m a s o n ite .

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They have a pure, basic ground because th e w orks w e re n ever in ten d ed to be anything

o th e r th an w h a t th e artist w as an sw ering to in his o r her life and faith . A good exam p le o f

this is artist M a rk Ryden. He responded to th e question o f his goals fo r his w ork:

This is th e p ro b lem o f so much a rt being m ade to d a y and fo r th e past

fifty years: to o m uch em phasis on goals. You can n o t have goals— you

have to have fe e lin g and desire. It seems to m e th a t to m ake paintings,

th e ir tru e creative soul will be sabotaged. W h en m aking art, I try to let

go o f all th ese goals and feelings o f ‘ 1 should do this o r th a t.’ True artistry

will flo w w h e n you are ab le to let go o f all o f th ese feelings. I do my best

w o rk w h e n m y only goal is to create a p ainting simply because I w a n t to .22

Pop Surrealism a rt is a pop -culture p o w e r th a t has cu rren tly been influencing design,

fashion, film , advertising, television, and music. A rtw o rks by Pop Surrealists have been

created fo r m ag azin e covers, n o te cards, books, and calendars. Lim ited edition fin e a rt

prints created by to p Pop Surrealists have sold very w e ll.23

*4 H

Fig. 2 9 M a r k R y d e n (i9 6 3 ), Ro n g Yark, 2 0 0 8 , oil o n canvas.

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H o w ev er, som e artists tak e a n eg ative v ie w a b o u t th e quality o f cu rren t L o w b ro w A rt / Pop

Surrealism . W illiam s said, “ I d o n 't see any n e w stu ff com ing o u t and b reaking any rules.

The antisocial s tu ff is gone. There's no subversion left. The innocents cam e along and

th e y ta m e d it d o w n . Things are g e ttin g chronically cute and politically c o rre c t." Kalynn

C am pbell explains, “ L o w b ro w 's g e ttin g com m ercial, d ecorative, and sofa frie n d ly ." The

Pizz, an early L o w b ro w artist, also shares his opinion: “ L o w b ro w started o u t being much

ru d er. N o w it's g en trifyin g and chasing o u t th e guys w h o m ad e it viable. W h a t's nice is

th a t it's g o tte n m o re co m p lic ated ." And Cary Baseman states, “ I d o n 't even see it as

L o w b ro w . I look a t th e artists in m y w a v e th a t include M ark Ryden and Camile Rose

Garcia and Tim Biscup, and I say, ‘W h ere's th e Low brow ?' " 24

Pop Surrealism sprang fo rth fro m th e o p p ortunities th a t th e blossom ing L o w b ro w

a r t m o v e m e n t created , and Pop Surrealism has gradually been changing and refining.

Even th o u g h th e artists are all essentially in th e same group, th e tw o m o v em en ts could be

looked a t as to tally d iffe re n t a rt styles. Those in the p resen t progress and w ill continue to

ad vance. Thus, I do n o t think th a t th e tw o te rm s could be defin ed and o r easily divided.

The term s are still used and w ill be used interchangeably. I th in k Pop Surrealism will

co n tin u e to bloom and expand its audience. Then, eventually, p eop le w ill w a n t to see a

d iffe re n t kind o f a rt and som e n e w m o v e m e n t w ill com e along to shake things up.

Fig. 30 M ark Ryden(-i963-), Sophia's Bubbles, 2008, oil on canvas.

20
M a r k Ry d e n

O ne o f th e m o st re n o w n ed Am erican artists o f th e Pop Surrealism m o v e m e n t is

M a rk Ryden (1963-). His w o rk portrays characters w ith child-like sw eetness y e t w ith a

creepy co m b in atio n of num ero logy, m eat, Catholic and Buddhist sym bolism , and

carnivalesque A m ericana in detailed fullness. The o u tco m e o f Ryden's a rt is an intriguing

balance b e tw e e n th e unsettling and th e innocent. It was because o f M a rk Ryden's first

M a n h a tta n sh o w in 2001 at th e Earl M cG rath Gallery th a t L o w b ro w a rt was able to spread

fu rth e r. T h e show e xp an d ed th e e x c ite m e n t a b o u t l.o w b ro w a rt in th e m a n tle o f th e

in tern atio n al a rt m a rk e t and c o n trib u ted to th e m a rk e t fo r L o w b ro w a rt th a t is m o re

p o p u lar and th e o re tic a l.25

Fig. 31 Mark Ryden(i963 ), Grotto o f the Old Mass, 2008, oil on canvas.

21
T o d d Sc ho rr

Todd S c h o rr(i9 5 4 -) is a leading fig ure in Southern California's cartoon-based

m o ve m en t, w hich is d u b b ed “ Pop Surrealism ." It em braces L o w b ro w culture along w ith

a graphic style b o th coarse and hum orous, in d eb ted to p op sources such as M ad m agazine.

Schorr is distinctive fro m his b est-kn o w n peers, such as Camille Rose Garcia, Gary Baseman,

and M a rk Ryden, due to his highly polished realism . He creates th e m o st ou tstan d in g

expressions o f this to ta lly c o n te m p o ra ry visual vocabulary th ro u g h m any vast, epic-scale

paintings. His fla ir fo r pro d u cing e x tra v a g a n t absurdities and striking surrealistic

storybooks is expressed on canvas in his m ind blow ing, p op circus d re am sca p es.^ T h e style

o f Schorr's a rtw o rk has been d efin ed as fantastic im agery, carto o n characters, and o th e r

p op culture icons re n d e re d w ith an exacting tech n iq u e and colorful p alette.

Fig. 32 Todd Schorr, An Ape Allegory, 2007, Graphite on paper. Fig. 33 Todd Schorr, An Ape Allegory, 2007, acrylic on paper.

22
C hapter 2

F e a t u r e d A r t is t s o f L o w b r o w A r t

Ro bert W il l ia m s

In th e late 20 and early 21st centuries, diverse fo rm s o f co m m o n p lace and p op ular

a rt ap p eared to be coalescing into a fo rm id ab le n e w factio n o f p ainted realism . To

d o c u m e n t th e exp lo d in g a rt m o v e m e n t em an atin g fro m th e W e s t Cost o f th e U nited

States, a g re a t p a in te r and carto o n ist nam ed R o bert W illia m s (i9 4 3 ), p art o f a group o f

u n d erg ro u n d cartoonists w ith his m ix o f California car culture, cinem atic apocalypticism ,

and film noir, helped to create a n e w genre o f psychedelic im agery. He established

Juxtapoz A rt and Culture m ag azin e. It w as also his in te n t to broaden th e possibilities fo r

you n g artists to gain e xp o su re.27 M a n y o f his comic and “ Super C a rto o n " paintings w e re

included in his first ground breaking book, The Low brow A rt o f Robert W illiam s released in

1979. The title o f th e book w as m e a n t as a s ta te m e n t on th e cu rren t “ H ig h b ro w " to n e o f

th e a rt w o rld and h o w W illiam s' w o rk did n o t fit in w ith this idealism .28 R obert W illiam s'

influence on altern ativ e a rt is im m easu rable.

W illiam s firs t used th e te rm “ L o w b ro w A rt" to describe his a rtw o rk and th a t o f

fe llo w artists w h o w e re associated w ith him .

23
 L o w b ro w a rt is a n tielite, exp lo rato ry, subversive, rebellious.

I cau g h t all th e fire and op en ed up th e te rrito ry fo r everyone else.

The th in g a b o u t th e L o w b ro w nam e is th a t it literally just m eans ‘s tu p id .’

These days, th re e quarters o f th e a rt m o v e m e n t is m ade o f p eop le

a p p ro p riatin g tiki art. M o s t o f these guys are b o tto m -fe e d e rs .

T hey’ll w o rk th a t tiki th in g to d eath . But th e re are still very in tellig en t

p eo p le doing in te llig e n t w o rk because th e area th a t w e ’re in is so fe rtile

and rich. I th in k th a t m o re in tellig en t things are com ing o u t o f our

m o v e m e n t th an o th e r art m o v e m e n ts .29

Such w o rk w as also o fte n related to th e nam e Pop Surrealism . In th e in terven in g

years, th e m o v e m e n t has gone global and Juxtapoz has reb ran d ed and reim agined itself to

b e tte r re p re s e n t a g en e ra tio n o f artists in te n t on w o rk in g outside th e inflexible and

tra d itio n al a rt e s ta b lis h m e n t.30

- .■’f*i

Fig* 34 R o b e rt W illia m s , B astardizin g The A u to n o m y o f Person, Place a n d Thing, 2 0 0 0 , oil o n canvas.

F ig . 35 R o b e rt W illia m s , A rt's T riu m p h O ver Substance, 2 0 0 0 , oil on canvas.

24
Fig. 36 R o b e rt W illiam s, title u n kn o w n , 2 0 0 7 ,oil on canvas.

25
 In th e 1960s, a lth o u g h m ay co u n tercu ltu re publications w e re g e n e ra tin g a n ew

w a v e o f opinion and ta s te in A m erica, th e y n ever g e n e ra te d very much m oney. R obert

W illiam s explains especially b ein g in terested in punk in his youth :

The in teres tin g th in g a b o u t th e punk th in g is th a t it was riddled w ith

shortcom ings, y e t it g o t m any p eo p le involved in th e a rt scene.

You had a real in te re s t in th e D adaist a ttitu d e . It cam e to m e a t th e

rig h t tim e . I w ish it had com e b e fo re . W h e n punk hit, I had a place

to sh o w m y art. I did n o t have an audience until punk.31

Fig» 37 Robert Williams, Enchilada De Amore, 1988, oil on canvas.

26
 On seeing th e tre m e n d o u s success o f th e first M o n te re y Pop Festival in 1967,

R o b ert W illiam s set a b o u t w o rk in g on a blockbuster painting to go on public display a t th e

second M o n te re y Pop Festival, th e re b y to w in th e hearts o f th e f a s t g ro w in g youth

audience and re g e n e ra te a n atio n al in terest in th e a rt o f oil pa nting.32

Oil p ainting always w as th e m o st im p o rta n t a rt form to W ilia m s . Oil paint has a

q u ality all its o w n , being fairly tra n s p a re n t and consisting o f p ig m e n t m ixed in a m edium o f

linseed oil, w ith tu rp e n tin e fo r a d rying ag en t. Clear o r colored varnish m ay be used to coat

th e surface o r to m ake a tra n s p a re n t layer b e tw e e n tw o coats o f pain t, th e building up o f

tra n s p a re n t layers giving th e colors a trem en d o u s intensity. This sam e tech n iq u e, th e

building up o f layer upon layer o f tra n s p a re n t color, is em p lo yed w ith dazzling success by

h o t rod artists on cars, using synthetic lacquer. 3 H o w ever, n o t all o f W illiam s' paintings are

do n e in oils. He has created a n u m b e r o f excelle n t acrylics, m any o f w hich have graced th e

pages o f a u to m o tiv e publications o u t o f Los Angeles, including th e u n derground h o t rod

Fig. 38 Robert Williams, Pecos Fiona and Her One Woman Range W ar Against Troglodytic Hipsters, 1987,

oil on canvas

27
and m oto rcycle m agazines o f Ed Roth as w ell as th e m ulti m illion circulation car books

fo rm P etersen Publishing.

W illiam s’ a u to m o tiv e illustrations are p e rfe c t exam ples o f a peculiar aspect o f th e

artistic n atu re o f Los Angeles, w hich is th e w o rld capital o f th e co n cep t o f te ch n iq u e.34

Prior to his psychedelic tra n s fo rm a tio n W ill sms w as a h o t rod illustrator w h o w o rk e d w ith

Ed Big Daddy "R atfin k" R oth. W illiam s becam e w ell-kn o w n fo r th e co ntribu tions th a t he

m ad e to Zap comic, th e b est-kn o w n o f th e u nderground comics th a t em e rg e d as p a rt o f

th e y o u th c o u n te rc u ltu re o f th e late 1960s, and o th e r u ndergrou nd comics during this, as

w ell as his books Zom bie M ystery Paintings, Visual A ddiction, and Twisted Libido, w hich have

all b eco m e cult classics/'5

Fig. 3 9 Ed “ Big D a d d y " R o th , R a t Fink, 2 0 0 6 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

28
 & ? HP
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M0 rW l7 1

s t r ic t l y off The w a iU
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U<JVJ ^vav7 MONSTfefcs l I

Fig. 4 0 Ed “ Big D a d d y ” R o th , R at Find J o k e Book, 2 0 0 6 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

F ig . 41 Ed “ Big D a d d y ” R o th , R at Fink c o io n n g B ook, 2 0 0 6 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig. 42 Robert Williams, JUXTAPOZ Cover, title unknown, 2009, oil on canvas.

29
 QyQGS, J O ttE S . tfO Z M lC T S O O fifS
■»*k n » .ra m i *mui>

Fig- 4 3 a rtis t u n k n o w n , Z ap Com ix # .o , 19 6 7, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig. 4 4 a rtis t u n k n o w n , Z ap Com ix #.1,1 9 6 7 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

Fig- 4 5 a rtis t u n k n o w n , Z ap Com ix # .2 ,1 9 6 8 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

F ig. 4 6 a rtis t u n k n o w n , Z ap Com ix, 1 9 6 8 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

30
W illiam s' paintings disturb th e “ g en eral p ublic" but th ey d e lig h t and inspire th e “ specific

p u b lic," those m illions w h o en jo y right-brain fu zzy chaos and h u n g er fo r “ u n au th o rized

re a litie s ." 56

W illiam s' paintings are w ildly psychedelic. He has m en tio n e d his w o rk w as

''trem en d o u sly " influenced by psychedelics, and it certainly shows. A lth o u g h W illiam s is an

a rc h ite ct o f g ro tes q u e and d istu rb ing n ig h tm are visions, and a d e lib e ra te ly sleazy, low -life

fla vo r p erm e ates his w o rk , th e re is also a carto o n y cuteness a b o u t it, and a go o d deal o f

hallucinogenic h u m o r giggles th ro u g h . So intricately detailed is W illiam s' w o rk th a t one

o fte n c a n n o t grasp w h a t th e y are looking a t upon first glance. O ne usually has to stare a t a

Fig. 47 Robert Willfams, Nostradamus and the Astrological Planet Skinner, 1993, oil on canvas.

31
piece fo r a w h ile b e fo re th e c o m p lex im agery begins to em erg e - th en it's alm ost hard to

believe w h a t o n e is seeing. O ve r th e past fe w years his w o rk has received a g re a t deal o f

reco g n itio n fro m th e m ain stream a rt w o rld , including a show ing a t th e Los A ngeles

M u seu m o f C o n te m p o ra ry A rt.37

R o b ert W illiam s' canvas explodes w ith dozens o f eye-grabb ing im ages, objects,

and even ts ren d e red in irresistible scream s o f color. A spooky Swiss w izard , he com bines

th e m echanical w ith th e bodily. T h e m o st banal, ordinary fam iliar objects m erg e, m o rp h ,

blend, and m e lt in to disordered heaps o f garish technic olored garage-sale piles o f th o u g h ts ,

icons, and im ages. R o b ert W illiam s has m a stered th e jum py, m ind-jam m ing a rt o f m ixing

left-b rain focused realism w ith right-brain ju m bled unfocused p hantasm . He o v e rw h e lm s

us, dizzies us by ju m p in g o u r focus fro m figure to g ro u n d .38

Fig. 48 Robert Williams, Hot Rod Race, 1976, acrylic on board.

32
G ary Pa n t e r

A p ain ter, com m ercial artist, designer, com ic artist, and musician all rolled up in

one package— this is Gary Panter. Born in O klah o m a, b u t raised in Brownsville, Texas in th e

1950s, P an ter is a m e m b e r o f th e group th a t created R A W m ag azin e and is o f th e second

g en era tio n in A m erican u n d erg ro u nd comics. His comics are fast and hard, and th e y are

d raw n in an expressionistic m an n er. He had an early o p p o rtu n ity to fam iliarize him self

w ith th e carto o n characters, packaging designs, and g eneral pop culture ep h em era th a t

has fo rm e d so m uch o f his artistic vision w h e n , as a child, he w as encouraged to d o o d le

w ith his fa th e r in th e fam ily's five-an d -d im e s to re.39 He “ is a child o f th e ’50s w h o

blossom ed in th e full glare o f th e psychedelic ’60s and, a fte r surviving th e underground

during th e ’70s, finally m ad e his m ark in th e ’80s as head set designer fo r th e successful

k id /ad u lt TV s h o w Pee W e e ’s Playhouse, a job w hich b ro u g h t his jagged a rt and surreal

Fig. 4 9 Gary Panter(i950 ), Pixieland, 1986, acrylic on paper.

33
carto o n ideas in to th e hom es o f Am erica and bagged him th re e Em m y A w a rd s .” P anter

cre ated a fan tasy exten sio n o f his natural studio h a b ita t, calling it a n o th e r w o rld

con stru cted o u t o f a collection o f g arbage and buried treasu re.40

Gary P an ter observed th e w o rld fro m a distinct perspective, and co m m e n te d on it

th ro u g h im agery th a t did n o t please conventional tastes by a lack o f differen ce b e tw e e n

“ tra s h ” and “ a r t.” Thus, he w as considered a fu ll-b lo w O utsider, an artist w o rk in g on th e

o u te r e d g e o f co n ven tio n , d u rin g th e 1960s and 1970s.4* He has been d raw in g , in o n e w a y

o r a n o th er, fo r his en tire life, alth o u g h his professional career began w ith th e publication

o f his first Jim bo s to rie s (i9 9 7 ).4’

F ig. 5 0 p h o to g r a p h e r u n k n o w n , Pee w e e 's Playhouse, H B O ,1 9 8 0

34
Ji'mbo is a post-nuclear punk-rock carto o n ch aracter w hose ad ven tu res w e re first

chronicled as a com ic strip in th e 1970s LA h ardcore-punk paper Slash and la te r in RAW

m ag azin e. O ne w ill find Jim bo m akin g his w a y th ro u g h an apocalyptic w orfd o f rob ots,

m onsters, w a te r parks, shopping malls, and junk iconography in his stories.43 The

inspiration fo r Jim bo is m ainly fo u n d e d on th e 1960s u ndergro und comics m o v e m e n t, but

o th e r influences such as Japanese m o n s te r m ovies, cheap com m ercial packaging, th e w o rk

o f M a rv e l comics artist Jack Kirby, M o th e rs O f Inven tio n house artist Cat Schenkel, and th e

w ritin g o f cult science fiction a u th o r Philip K. Dick leaked into th e p ro je c t.44

a r » r k § * n .m <i
<JKJCl,V*S
rut asm

•jtt't'f fjh ry th

F ig. 51 G ary P n a t e r ( i9 5 o ) , J im b o N o .4 , 1 9 9 6 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

F ig. 52 G ary P n a te r, J im b o N o.f>,1 9 9 6 , m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

35
 r 6 v e x a t 16J} *--w * ' — ' — —
C H A f> T f« 1 / # . .
fO h* carl’l l W>* an* Ay 'Xptfi'r f fl «5 v , t
<m«I AAjA s h o w e d me th u t *//•
*Ae holy J er Ui n l e r h , ^ Q- *e*ndt »* cut o f hfcQye*) ^

i{ vX t ^Z&ry ^ 6 o « i - k «v ifjfct u a i
I t k f i/*tp tK j^bbf to pS* f ,T t c i ' t > * j . s / * „ , } ] k e
a j^-sptr jTone>tiear <tr trytt+f.

F ig. 53 G ary P n a te r, W a itin g fo r W a c o , The N e w Y o rk e r, 1993, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

As an illustator, P an te r was one o f th e firs t to stop w o rry in g a b o u t graphic

p erfe ctio n , p re fe rrin g instead to push th e u n d erg ro u n d punk a ttitu d e he had n u rtu red

since th e 1970s in to his com m ercial a rt fo r established m agazines such as Time, Roiling

Stone, E n tertain m e n t W eekly and The N ew Yorker. He c o m m e n te d , “T h ere is a confusion

a b o u t illustrators. Th ere's a lo t o f in terestin g styling being done in illu s tra tio n ."45

D elib erately p re s en tin g his w o rk w ith serrated edges in place o f clean lines, Panter's style
cam e like a b re e ze o f fre s h air to b o th publishers and th e ir audiences. His view o f

L o w b ro w a rt is expressed in his equally refreshin g w ords :

Originally, R o b ert W illiam s m a d e it happen. The w eirdness o f th e

lo w b ro w guys is th a t you have to have a fan cy car to be p a rt o f

an a rt m o v e m e n t. N o w t’s b eco m e a g e n e ra tio n th a t needs to be

pierced and ta tto o e d and drive a vintage car and sm oke a cig arette

to be cool. But th e y ’re breaking d o w n walls. I th in k it’s a p re tty g re a t

tim e . T h ere are a lo t o f interesting hybrids going o n .46

His ta m e as an illu s tra to r g re w w h e n he w as com m issioned by W a rn e r Brothers to

pro d u ce a set o f album sleeves fo r Frank Zappa. The resulting covers fo r Studio Tan, Sleep

D irt, and Orchestral Favorites w e re universally adm ired (a lb e it initially n o t by Zappa him self),

as w as his co ver illustration fo r th e d e b u t album by th e Red H o t Chilli Peppers.4

Hg- 54 Gary Pnater, Puffer, 2009, acrylic on canvas.

37
This en o rm o u s body o f w o rk has earn ed Gary Panter th e m o n iker o f “ King o f Punk A rt”

and roused fe llo w p a in te r R o b e rt W illiam s to dub him th e “ King o f Th e P rep o stero u s” . To

an yb o d y u n fam iliar w ith th e w o rld o f Gary P an ter, stepping into his ram shackle Brooklyn-

based studio is parallel to e n te rin g th e artist's brain d irectly.4 A restless e x p e rim e n te r,

P an te r has fo u n d m any o u tle ts fo r his art: as w ell as cartooning , he has prod u ced w o rk as

an illu strato r, a n im ato r, p ain ter, p rin tm a k e r, and in terio r d e c o ra to r— all w ith his tra d e m a rk

" ra tty line" and highly personalized sk e w on th e w o rld in w hich w e live.49

F’g* 55 G ary P n a te r, Turn H and le, 2010, acrylic o n canvas.

Fig. 56 Gary Pnater, Last Glare, 2010, acrylic on canvas.

38
 •CheJdOled ffiugic * ”ul Cfcr,i e ~ „ n »

Fig. 57 G ary P n a te r, Paul F la h e rty a n d Chris Corsano Record Design, The H a te d M usic, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

F ig. 5 8 G ary P n a te r, C o m p ila tio n R ecord Design, Help Us G et High, m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

39
His m ost fam o u s w o rks, Jim bo, Adventures in Paradise and Facetasm, w hich was created

to g e th e r w ith Charles Burns, m u st be looked a t.50 In 2 0 0 0 he has also received w h a t m ay

be th e highest h o n o r acco rd ed to any A m erican cartoonist: a cafe in Japan nam ed a fte r

him . G raphic artist Gary P an ter, w id e ly kn o w n as th e “ F ath er o f Punk Comics,” is cu rrently

w o rk in g on paintings fo r his u p co m ing gallery show . His w o rk easily balances th e w orlds

o f painting, com m ercial a rt, illustration, cartoons, a lte rn a tiv e com ic, and music. P anter

u n d ertakes all o f his projects w ith im aginative punk p an ach e.51

Fig. 5 9 G ary P n a te r, Killing Frost, 2 0 0 3 , in k a n d w a s h .

Fig. 6 0 G ary P n a te r, E n w end , 1 9 9 /, in k a n d w a s h .

40
C hapter 3

F e a t u r e d A r t is t s o f P o p S u r r e a l is m

J o sh A gle

Josh A g le (i9 6 2 -) is one o f th e principal artists to d ay w o rk in g in S outhern California.

He is m o re likely to be k n o w n as “ S h a g /' w h ich is a con tractio n o f th e last tw o le tte rs o f his

firs t n am e and th e firs t tw o lette rs in his last. His original in te n tio n w as to build a career as

a fre e la n c e illustrator, b u t instead he a ttra c te d substantial a tte n tio n fro m galleries and

collectors th ro u g h his original p ain tin g s.52 Shag’s paintings are precise and clean, yet

p o rtra y a v elvety and tac tile surface. His w o rk is both re tro and m o d ern , tran scen d in g its

influences to a p o in t w h e re he has m ad e original w o rk. “ M y career as an artist cam e along

w ith p eo p le's in teres t in m id -cen tu ry m o d ern arch itectu re and fu rn itu re ," Agle says,

su rro u n d ed by Tiki statues, paintings o f his o w n and by his friends, and a rtw o rk by som e

actual 1950s artists w h o influenced him , in th e studio o f his m id-century m o d ern h o m e near

Santa Ana in O ran g e County, C alifornia.53 He has eclipsed th e Fine A rt w o rld and is able to

ta k e on th e p o w ers th a t be on his o w n te rm s .54

Shag should n o t be m istaken fo r a p op artist, n o r should his w o rk be labeled as o f

th e c o n te m p o ra ry L o w b ro w style. He is best kno w n fo r com ical, richly-colored cocktail

and T iki-th em ed scenes rem in iscent o f th e slick com m ercial a rt o f th e 1950s to mid-

1960s. Shag’s pain tin g style seem s to have em e rg e d fully m a tu re fro m th e beginning. His

41
Fig. 61 Shag, The Last Leaf, 2008, acrylic on panel.

42
 Fig. 6 2 S h ag , Tiki R o o m A v ia ry , 2 0 0 3 , acrylic a n d vinyl o n b o a rd .

F ig. 6 3 S h a g , T an g aro a, 2 0 0 3 , acrylic a n d vinyl o n b o a rd .

biggest influences are Jim F lo ra,* Gene D e itc h ,** and W a rd K im b a ll,*** and he depicts a

co m b in atio n o f fifties-era illustration, iconography fro m spy m ovies and m ovie party

* Jim F lo ra (-:9 !4 -i9 9 8 ) is a p ro lific c o m m e rc ia l illu s tra to r a n d a u t h o r f r o m t h e 1940s t o th e 1970.

* * G e n e D e itc h (i9 2 4 -) is a n illu s tra to r a n d a n im a to r a nd film d ire c to r.

* * * W a rd K im b a ll(i9 !4 -2 0 0 2 ) w a s an a n im a to r f o r t h e W a lt D isney S tu d io . H e w a s o n e o f W a lt D isney’s te a m o f

a n im a to rs k n o w n as D is n e y ’s N in e O ld M e n .

43
 F ig. 6 4 S h ag , O ne E n c h a n te d Evening, 20 0 3 , acryJic a n d vinyl on b o a rd .

scenes o f th e sixties, Tiki gods, and m id-century m o d ern fashion and d eco r.53 D espite th e

fa c t th a t Shag refines his style and broadens upon iconography and them es, his style is

essentially th e sam e: A fo u n d a tio n o f various shades o f one v ib ra n t color and a vivid

c o m p le m e n ta ry color ad d ed in.

Shag's paintings c e le b ra te consum erism and consum ption on b rig h t colored, delicately

re n d e red panels w ith ch aracters drinking, sm oking and eatin g in e x tra v a g a n t

en viro n m en ts. He is n o w a very fam o u s artist w h o show s all o v e r the w o rld and m any

p eo p le have run across his w o rk , only n o t likely in galleries. His images are m o re

accessible and usually first e n c o u n te re d th ro u g h g re e tin g cards, g ift w rap s, T-shirts- lam ps,

and o th e r such ite m s /' As a fo r m e r com m ercial artist, Shag is a w a re o f h o w to m ake

p eo p le and a rt com e in co n ta c t w ith each o th er. He firs t began p ain tin g fo r galleries in 1995,

44
and started sh ow ing a t La Luz Jesus in H ollyw ood in 1997. His firs t solo g allery exhibition

w as tru ly unique; it w as d iffe re n t fro m w h a t anyo ne else w as try in g a t th e tim e . By

choosing to u p d a te , sim plify, and develo p upon th e 1950s Jazz illustration style, he is

described as having cre ated a n e w g en re. Shag has had successful solo exhibitions,

fo llo w in g his firs t solo gallery s h o w in 1997, in several d iffe re n t countries including th e

U n ite d States, Europe, Japan, and Australia.

His latest series on display at th e Corey H elford G allery in Culver City, A utum n's

Come Undone, portrays jew el to n e s and clever subtexts. Such is ab sen t in his n e w e r pieces

w h e re a lig h ter a tm o s p h e re o f Tiki p a rty style is p o rtrayed .

Fig. 6 5 S h a g , S m u d g e P o t, 2 0 0 9 m e d iu m u n k n o w n .

45
 F ig. 6 6 S h ag, “ I W ill” , 2 C io , a rc h iva l d ig ita l p rin t o n canvas.

Fig. 67 Shag, Black Eyes, 2010, archival digital print on canvas.

46
Bongos and jazz artists play w h ile cocktails are sipped, and th ere's even a grizzly bear

fishing in th e sw im m in g pool o f a b u tte rfly -ro o fe d h o m e. "S o m e th in g h app ened to m e in

th e last ye ar — call it an u n e xp ected ch an g e-o f-h eart, if you like — b ut a lo t o f the

u n fe tte re d hedonism m y a rtw o rk espoused has begun to catch up w ith m e," Agle

explains.57 Shag's n e w w o rk replaces his fam iliar lean, m o d ern lines and savvy characters

w ith an a m b e r and hazy e n v iro n m e n t w h e re narw hals are found saluting sm oky Tiki gods

w ith th e ir h o rn ed heads.

Also, barren tree s o v erlo o k gray dream scapes, and m echanical bulls to w nude ladies on

m ilitary ta n k w h ee ls. Th e surrealism visualized takes Shag's bold ap p earan ce and adds

m o re co m p licated to n e , settlin g his characters into th e surroundings th e y w e re really

m ad e fo r.

Fig. 68 Shag, Unexplainable Pains, 2009, acrylic on panel.

47
M an y artists w o rk in styies based on th e 1950s and early 1960s, b u t fe w are able to carry it

o ff as w elf as Shag. He describes him self as th e firs t to “ stum ble into this fo rm u la .”58

Shag originally s ta rted o u t as a freelan ce com m ercial illustrator, prim arily w o rk in g fo r

in d e p e n d e n t record labels, and he loved th e w o rk o f g re a t 1950s illustrators and

com m ercial artists such as G ene Deitch and Jim Flora. They w e re b o th kno w n fo r

sophisticated, y e t surrealistic cartoon-like album covers. T h ere w as also Charley H arper,

w h o m Shag fo u n d irresistible fo r his highly stylized b o o k illustration. "I w a n te d to ta k e

th a t style and p u t it in a p ain tin g in a gallery, n o t just use it fo r com m ercial purposes," Agle

says. "I had to do a fe w things f o r this. I decided, alm ost e veryth in g I pain ted w o u ld be

telling a story. T h e re w o u ld be several u n exp ected e lem en ts in th e a rtw o rk , and th e re

w o u ld be an ironic h u m o r th a t you w o u ld n 't find in th e com m ercial a rt o f th e 1950s.”59

Keeping his prom ise, Shag successfully created w o rk expressed as “ cool,” “ hip,” and

“ re tro .”

Shag is m o st w e ll-d c p icted as successful; requests fo r his paintings and th e ir rising

prices n ev er cease. Such circum stances have led Shag to produce and issue prints th a t

are m o re affo rd a b le ; h o w e v e r d em an d rem ains strong.

Fig. 69 Shag, Utamed Pet, 2008, acrylic on panel.

48
His decision to produce prints in lim ited editions m aintains a sense o f uniqueness fo r

collectors, w h ile th e choice o f serigraphy has instilled th e m w ith all th e co lo r and high

q u ality o f an original p ainting a t a fra c tio n o f th e cost.60 His n e w e r w o rk show s a little

“ m o re ” ; pieces are larg er in size, th em es, and hold m ore figures and action. Also, th e y

are a little m o re surreal and d e c a d e n t th a n he has ren d ered in th e past.*’”

Shag's paintings are unsurpassed fo r depicting th e early 21st c e n tu ry vision o f th e

1950s and 1960s. “ Think o f it th ro u g h Shag's in tim ate cocktail-party w o rld : if his previous

w o rks w e re a cran b erry m artin i, th ese are a s n ifte r o f co m plicated, au tu m n -h u ed sherry'.” 1

He paints th e era n o t as it w as, b u t as a d ream th a t m ay still com e tru e .

Fig. 70 Shag, The Good and Faithful Son, 2010, acrylic on panel.

49
N o n eth eless, Josh A gle reflects on th e visuals o f his w o rk to th e sam e e x te n t as if th ey

w e re stage scenery. He finds th e significance in th e n arrative o f th e a rt w h e re it is fix e d

to be in th e m id d le o f a story o r situation, and he focuses upon characters in te ra c tin g w ith

each o th e r and outsid e events. F u rth erm o re, he does n o t give m uch indication reg ard in g

th e stories, p re fe rrin g th e s p e c ta to r to g e n e ra te his or h er o w n account fo r th e settings.

He is cu rren tly crea tin g paintings fo r his various exhibits in L.A., and he has ridden th e m id ­

cen tu ry m o d e rn w a v e w ith su p rem e fla ir.63

Fig. 71 Shag, Prince From The Biomass, 2009, medium unknown.

50
M a r k Ry d e n

M a rk R yd en (i963~) is o n e o f th e m o st c e leb rated artists o f th e Pop Surrealism

m o v e m e n t. Ryden's w o rk com bines a saccharine carto o n style w ith a d etailed fullness

and creep y com b in atio n s of n u m erology, little girls, m e a t, Catholic and B uddhist

sym bolism , and carnivalesque A m ericana. M a rk Ryden's paintings instantly trig g e r a

w a rp e d defa vu. His w o rks recall a parallel universe to 1950s G olden Books and th e w him sy

o f Lewis Carrol], w h o w as th e English a u th o r m ost fam ou s fo r A lice's A dventures in

W onderland. Carroll also w as a m ath em atician , logician, Anglican deacon and

p h o to g ra p h e r. M a rk R y d en ’s ch eery bunnies, ren d ered in th e g lo w in g hues o f ch ildren’s

books, are m o re likely to be carving slabs o f m e a t th an fro lickin g in th e fo rest.

Fig. 72 M ark Williams, The Cloven Bunny, 2 0 0 3 , oil on panel.

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Fig. 73 M ark Ryden, Rose, 2003, oil on panel.

52
M a rk Ryden's w o rk m ingles superb tech n iq u e w ith o u tre im ages to create a w o rld o f

strange and disturbing b e a u ty .64

Taking inspiration fro m ch ild ren ’s fables, Californian p a in te r M a rk Ryden spins

characters and landscapes in to o rn ately d etailed , flaw less and w o n d e rfu lly disturbing

im ages. His pictures evoke childhood m em ories, th en , m esh d iffe re n t subject m atters

th a t play in th e view e rs ’ subconscious, tw istin g w h a t is re m e m b e re d in n e w and

disquieting directions. Serene, a lm o st childlike characters are m ixed w ith elem en ts such as

crosses, bloody chunks o f m e at, train sets and beautiful clothing.

The surrealist a rtw o rk o f M a rk Ryden first cam e to pro m in en ce during th e 1990s

w h e n paintings w e re m akin g a c o m eb ack in th e U nited States.65 W ith th e in ten tio n o f

co m p reh en d in g Ryden's w o rld o f distinct featu res and natu re, som e im p o rta n t exhibitions

are exp lo red .

7’ H E M FAT S H<O VV

M a rk R yden’s w o rk gained g re a te r p ro m inence w ith in th e public dom ain thanks to

so-called L o w b ro w A rt publications such as Juxtapoz in w hich his w o rk is fe a tu re d regularly.

Ryden's solo d eb u t e n title d The M e a t Show w as in Pasadena, California in 1998. C om m only

associated w ith th e g en re o f Pop Surrealism o r L o w b ro w A rt, this first show com bined

im ages o f innocent, angelic “ c re a tu re s ” w ith b u tch er shop settings and w him sical Alice in

W o n d erlan d backdrops.66 A m ag azin e cover by M a rk Ryden fo llo w s.

BLAB m agazine presents “ Through th e looking glass,” a picture w o rth a thousand w ords. A

little girl strolls around w ith large curious eyes and p re tty red boots; th e b u tch er lady

smiles fo r th e cute pro g en y and slaughters aw ay. Dead figures are led, pets are kept,

facto ries keep churning, dinosaurs are fra m e d , and a Jesus Christ figurine keeps everyone

sane.

53
 F ig. 7 4 M a r k W illia m s , The Cloven Bunny, 2 0 0 3 , oil on p a n e l.

D eeply related to his real life, Ryden considers th e relationship o f n a tu re and hum an

carefully in his w o rk . He exam ines his inner m ind closely:

I m ix it all to g e th e r and c re a te m y o w n doctrine o f life and

th e universe. To m e, certain things seem to fit to g e th e r.

T h ere are certain parallels and clues all o ver th e place.

T h ere m ay be a little p a rt o f Alice in W onderland th a t fits in.

To m e th e w o rld is full o f a w e and w o n d e r.

This is w h a t I p u t in m y paintings.67

T h ere is an a p p a re n t h o rro r related to th e m e a t co m m erce, bein g bloody, gory, and

slaughtering. In a q u o te fro m Juxtapoz m agazine, Ryden explains his reason fo r

in co rp o ratin g m e a t in to his w o rk:

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 Fig. 75 M a r k W illia m s , S n o w W h ite , 1997, oil o n p a n e l.

So m any o f us indirectly p articip ate in this w ith o u r ravenous

consu m p tio n o f m e a t. In m y o w n a rt I am n o t personally m aking

a s ta te m e n t or ju d g e m e n t a b o u t th e m e a t consum ption in our

culture. I fe e l m o re like I am just observing it. I fe e l th a t th e

co n su m p tio n o f anim al flesh is a natural prim al instinct just like

sex and m akin g paintings. But th e re is th a t p arad o x o f kno w ing

h o w th a t scrum ptious p o rterh o u se m ad e it to m y d in n er plate.

W e have lost any kind o f reverence fo r this. It w o u ld be interesting

if p e o p le w o u ld have to kill an anim al them selves b e fo re th e y

earn ed th e rig h t to e a t it.68

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 M e a t has a stro n g visual quality in its variety o f p a tte rn s o f m arbling w hich

a ttra c te d painters like R e m b ra n d t and Van Gogh. T h e hues o f pink, rich verm illion, and

fa tty yello w ochres are seductive qualities to p resent m e a t as th e subject o f a rtw o rk . As

Ryden states, “ M e a t is glorious to paint. It is so easy to transcend th e represen tatio n al to

th e a b s tra c t.” 69 M e a t is a physical substance th a t can be alive o r just an in an im ate

substance. It is th e m a tte r th a t holds our spirit in this plane o f existence

Fig. 7 6 M a r k R y d e n , T he P u m p kin P re s id e n t, 1 9 9 8 , oil o n canvas.

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T he T ree Sho w

Trees w o rk in m ysterious w ays. A branch fro m a tre e is a m in iatu re replica o f th e

w h o le tre e . It is n o t identical b u t sim ilar in n atu re to th e w h o le .’* M a rk Ryden’s The Tree

Show exh ib ited in M arch 2 0 0 7 a t th e M ichael Kohn gallery in Los A ngeles and fe a tu re d a

selection o f oil paintings and sculptures. Depictions o f oak trees consum ing children,

flo a tin g tre e stum ps w ith "seeing" eyes, im aginary w o o d nym phs and m ythological

characters w h o personify N a tu re herself w e re observed. In his b o o k The Tree Show, he

w rites:

W h en you stand b e fo re th ese ancient trees, you can alm ost feel

th e ir m ystical aura. T h ey a p p e a r im m o rtal. It is d ifficu lt to really

c o m p reh en d th e thousands o f years they ta k e to slow ly g ro w ,

one thin ring a t a tim e. It is a m arvel th a t one individual tre e

can overlap so m uch hum an history. It is perp lexin g to m e h o w

som e can look a t th ese extrao rd in ary trees and see evidence

o f a spiritual p o w e r w h ile others only see a co m m o d ity.

The history o f th e California red w o o d s p oignantly illustrates

th e contrast b e tw e e n these d iffe re n t ways o f relatin g to n a tu re .72

Fig. 77 M ark Ryden, 66 Logging Truck, 2006, oil on canvas.

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 Ryden paints his characters w ith a m asterful, porcelain g lo w rem iniscent o f

Ingres and renders his trees w ith a care th a t evokes A udubon's botanical illustration.

Several o f his paintings are p re s e n te d in e la b o ra te ly carved fram es th a t p ro je c t th e ir

narratives beyond th e canvas.73

He tre a ts th e subject w ith th e sam e w o n d e r and reverence as his protagonists,

b u t w ith fo rm id a b le tech n iq u e and a w id e n e t o f research besides. His source m aterials,

m any o f w hich he arranged fo r th e exh ib itio n into an e x tra v a g a n t d io ram a c o m p le te w ith a

m o d el train , run th e range fro m high to low : paintings, sculpture, A m ericana, toys, religious

figurines, souvenirs, postcards, old p hotographs, and scores o f v in tag e books and

m agazines. R yden’s stro n g est a tta c h m e n t in this body o f w o rk is w ith th e European and

A m erican landscape painters o f th e n in e te e n th century, such as John Constable, Caspar

David Friedrich, and M a rtin Johnson H ead e.74 He believes if th e re is a secret to th e universe

and a m ean in g to life, it w o u ld be found w ith in a tre e .75

Fig. 78 M ark Ryden, Yosh, 2007, oil on canvas.

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 Fig. 79 M a r k R y d e n , 58 The A p o lo g y , 2 0 0 6 , oil o n canvas.

T h e S n o w Ya k S h o w

Th e To m io Koyam a G allery in Tokyo exh ib ited Ryden's The Snow Yak Show in

February 2 0 0 9 . A d iffe re n t approach by Ryden w as displayed here. Previous brightly

colored p a le tte s and rich backgrounds w e re replaced by a m o re austere, m inim al look w ith

a serene p a le tte o f w h ite and grey tones. If Ryden's previous exhibition, The M e a t Show,

seem ed like an in w ard scream , and The Tree Show as an en viro n m en tal e x a lta tio n , th e n The

Snow Yak Show gives th e im pression o f a m e d ita tiv e exh alatio n .

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 Fig. 80 M ark Ryden, Snow Yark, 2008, oil on panel.

In th e n e w series o f seven paintings, th e color p a le tte is based on w h ites, instead

richly tin g ed w ith to n es o f grays, blues, and pinks. G enerally, th e com positions are sim pler

and suggestive o f solitude, peacefulness and in trospection. Backgrounds, w hich w e re

fo rm e rly p a in ted in g re a t d etail, w e re le ft am biguous in som e o f th e w o rks and included

previously unseen a b stract pain ting effects. The th e m e o f snow steeps e v e ry w h e re .

R egarding th e inspiration o f th e snow , Ryden claims he w as already inspired to go th e

m inim alist and w h ite ro u te b u t th o u g h t m aybe th a t link w as a w e lc o m e association fo r

p e o p le .76 The significance is th a t beyond R yden’s fo rm id a b le pain tin g skill and singular

vision, his ac h ie v e m e n t rem ains in th e role o f a dream m e rc h a n t and artist-m agician w h o is

60
p ro fo u n d ly able to express questions a b o u t th e u n kn o w ab le in pictorial fo rm . He

appreciates th e m ysteries of science and th e universal w ith o u t judging it, and

unselfcons< ously hopes it w ill i jn ite th e spark o f w o n d e r w ith in o th e rs .77

Oil paints by M a rk Ryden are kn o w n to a lte r reality su rrounding us. Icons w e 'v e

seen tim e and tim e again b eco m e kitsch and k tsch objects becom e effigies.

Fig. 81 M ark Ryden, Abominable, 2008, oil on canvas.

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Ryden oil paints w ith th e execu tio n o f th e old m asters, creating m o d ern m asterpieces.

Since his first exh ib itio n in th e 1990s, Ryden has influenced an en tire g e n e ra tio n o f kn o w n

and aspiring artists. His re c e n t m useum retro sp ective W on d erto o n el has show n th e a rt

w o rld th a t his w o rk is undeniable to even th e lo ftiest o f sn o o t nosed th eo rists and

curatorial tu rtlen ecks. R yden’s im ages are accessible b u t d eep, m o d ern and tim eless.78 In

Hi Fructose m agazine he says:

T h ere are m any sym bolic m eanings in m y art th a t I m yself am n o t

necessarily conscious of. The m o st p o w e rfu l m eanings in a rt com e

fro m a n o th e r source outside an a rtis t’s o w n literal consciousness.

To m e, ta p p in g in to this w o rld is th e key to m aking th e

m o st in terestin g in m y w o rk deep ly dissatisfying.79

T h rough exam in in g his w o rk , it is clear he tries to express his inside m ind and

n atu re . The goal o f his w o rk is n o t to convey certain messages w ith a strong sense o f

purpose. He just purely expresses his e m o tio n and im agination unrestrictedly, re fle c tin g his

actual life.

Ryden is a b eliever o f fo llo w in g o n e ’s h eart and doing w h a t one loves. Then,

success is surely to fo llo w , fo r if one is able to captivate oneself, o th ers w ill be cap tivated

as w e ll.80 He says, “ People have th e idea th a t an im age m ust ‘stand fo r ’ so m eth in g else,

th a t th e ‘rea l’ m ean in g needs to be described w ith language. Instead it is th e im age itself

th a t is th e m ea n in g ” 81 The virginal figures o f R yden’s w o rk carry on R yden’s consistent use

o f children, m ainly girls, as subject m a tte r, foils fo r th e surrealist circus th a t seem s to swirl

aro u n d th e m . In The Tree Show th e girls are o fte n w o o d nym phs, holders o r discoverers o f

secrets held w ith in th e natural w o rld . In The Snow Yak Show, th e y seem to be m o re like

personifications o f a h o lier ideal, a re p resen tatio n o f purity. H o w ever, purity does n o t

necessarily im ply innocence. These b lond e aban d o n ed characters seem to carry a heavier

b u rd en , and a m o re considered th o u g h tfu lne ss, th an previous “ characters” in R yden’s

62
F ig . 8 2 M a r k R y d e n , C irl in a F ur S k irt, 2 0 0 8 , oil o n canvas.

63
w o rk .e

W ith all th e w o rks in The Snow Yak Show and in all o f Ryden's paintings one can

spend hours digging aro u n d th e sym bolism and references and th e exam ples provided are

m erely considered speculations ra th e r th an som e sanctified insight into RydeiVs arcane

treasu re tro v e o f surreal p op im ag ery.53 Ryden, w ith o u t a d o u b t, is one o f th e biggest

nam es in c o n te m p o ra ry a rt rig h t n o w . His w o rks have a ttra c te d hordes o f adm irers, fro m

celebrities to m useum board m em b ers, to “ G o th ” high school kids. But th a t is n o t really

th e in terestin g aspect a b o u t th e a rtist. For him , th e m ystery is m o re im p o rta n t th an th e

m essage. In fa c t, m ystery o fte n seem s to be th e m essage. Ryden rem ains m ysterious, to

evoke a sense o f w o n d e r and curiosity w ith in th e v ie w e r, ra th e r th a n having w o rk th a t can

be quickly d ecip h ered and its m ean in g discerned right a w a y .84

Fig. 83 M ark Ryden, Heaven, 2008, oil on canvas.

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 7 *

Rg. 84 M ark Ryden, Fur Girl, 2008, oil on canvas.

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To d d Sc h o r r

Todd S c h o rr(i9 5 4 -), an influential fig u re in w h a t has com e to be kn o w n as the

L o w b ro w o r Pop Surrealism a rt m o v e m e n t, has steadily raised th e b ar e v e r higher in his

quest to bring classic old m a s te r p ainting tech n iq u e to his pop culture-infused subject

m a tte r.85 Earning his re p u ta tio n by producing a seem ingly endless array o f fantastic

cartoon-inspired im ages across canvases, he is set a p a rt fro m his best-kn o w n peers such as

Camille Rose Garcia, Gary Basem an, and M a rk Ryden in his astonishing, highly polished

realism .86 Fantastic im agery, c arto o n characters, and o th e r pop cu ltu re icons ren d ered w ith

an exactin g tech n iq u e and colorful p a le tte defines th e style o f Todd Schorr’s w o rk. Todd

Schorr is one o f th e m ost successful and m ost expensive living artists on th e L o w b ro w

scene. His art and illustrations have been included in th e Time, N ew York Times, Juxtapoz,

and Hi Fructose m agazine, to n am e a fe w .

Th e biggest influences on Schorr’s w o rk are undeniably cartoons, Dali’s

m asterpieces, and th e old m asters. Som etim es subtle and som etim es obvious, an

u n d ercu rre n t runs th ro u g h all paintings and draw ings he has ever created . His love affair

w ith th e carto o n s tarte d fro m b ein g raised, as w e re m ost kids o f his era, on a steady d iet o f

W a rn e r Brothers, Tex A very, M ac Fleischer, and Disney cartoons. These old cartoons fro m

th e 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s could be view ed on any n u m b e r o f television channels during

this tim e . Im ages th a t e m a n a te d fro m those cathode rays burned an indelible m em o ry

fo ld into his d evelo p in g brain.87 But w h e n he w e n t to Europe in 1970 and w as able to see

firsth an d th e paintings o f th e g re a t Old M asters, a g re a t bulb lit up. Todd Schorr said to

66
 Fig. 8 5 T o d d S c h o rr, S u g a r Shakes, 1 9 9 8 , acrylic o n canvas.

him self, “ If I could learn h o w to p a in t in th e techniques o f th e old m asters b u t use as

subject m a tte r m y fa v o rite cartoons, I w o u ld have th e best o f all th e w o rld s .” 88

He discusses in his book, Secret Mystic Rites, h o w he struggled w ith th e idea o f

successfully com b in in g his “ love o f carto o n s w ith th e classic p ain tin g techniques o f th e Old

M a s te rs ” th a t he ad m ired . A nd he w as m ost surprised to find it w o u ld ta k e him nearly

tw e n ty years o f trial as an illu strato r.80 Schorr sp en t m an y fo rm id a b le years surrounded by

th e ato m ic and space ages, Satu rday m o rn in g cartoons and racks o f com ic books, Revell

m odels, M ad M a g a zin e, Testors glue, M ickey M o use, and Rat Fink. The com pulsion to

rep licate th ese im ages led to a fo rm a l a rt education and exposure to a n e w set o f

influences d ra w n fro m th e w o rld o f ad vertisin g and com m ercial a rt.90

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 Fig. 86 Todd Schorr, Parade of the Damned, 2005, acrylic on canvas.

A ro u n d th e year 1990, S chorr w e n t back and really studied th e m ethods and

techniques used by th e Old M asters and fo u n d th e techniques used by Cennino Cennini in

th e early 1400s, w hich particularly suited his needs. S chorr’s fo rm a l train in g and exten sive

illustrative background are a p la tfo rm f o r his run -am ok surrealism and fa r to o fe rtile

m in d .91 He calls his p ain tin g style “ cartoon realism ” by d raw in g on th e images o f popular

culture, and he is influenced by artists fro m V e rm e e r and Picasso to R o b ert W illiam s and

Tex Avery. Schorr began a successful professional career as a com m ercial illustrator, b ut

soon le ft illustration behind to express his visions on large-scale canvases.97' In Hi Fructose

m agazine he explains th e situation :

I had b eco m e w e a ry o f th e restrictions im posed by com m ercial w o rk

68
 and could see it fo r th e creative dead end it u ltim ately becom e.

1w as g e ttin g fu rth e r and fu rth e r rem o ved fro m m y original

aspirations o f one day b e in g recognized as a pa-n ter and so

I b egan to m ake a c o n c e n tra te d e ffo rt o f tu rn in g d o w n lucrative

illustration w o rk in o rd e r to d e v o te m o re tim e to m y painting s.93

Th ro u g h exam in in g his exh ib itio n a t San Jose M u seu m o f A rt in 2 0 0 9 , on e can grasp his

passion and basic th o u g h t fo r art.

F ig. 87 T o d d S c h o rr, A P ira te 's Treasure D re a m , 2 0 0 6 , acrylic o n canvas.

69
 Fig. 8 8 T o d d S c h o rr, The A m p h ib ia n F ro n tie r, 2 0 0 8 , acrylic o n canvas.

Todd S chorr’s exh ib itio n Am erican Surreal th a t w as on v ie w th ro u g h S e p te m b e r 16,

2 0 0 9 a t th e San Jose M u se u m o f A rt w as capable of m akin g th e audience gasp.

C om plicated, m eticulous paintings drove deep b en eath th e surfaces o f fa m ilia r subjects.

In ven tive Dali esque settings im plied an autopsy gon e te rrib ly w ro n g a t T o o n to w n General,

w h e re a sh ip m en t o f leaking e th e r bo ttles had caused th e visions b e fo re view ers to swirl

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and m o rp h , a t once being unbelievably b eautiful and ghastly g ro te s q u e .94 In th e recen t

show The W o rld W e Live In, gorillas played a large role. Schorr exp lain ed gorillas, th e

im p o rta n t c h aracter o f his paintings, as follow s:

I w as influenced by seeing th e film classic King Kong on TV in m y

childhood. To this day th a t dream y, hazy jungle - rife w ith sublim e

m ystery - has h au n ted m y im agination and rem ains a p o te n t

influence in m y w o rk . The pain tin g A pe W orship is m y nostalgic trib u te

to his g re a t pop c u ltu re icon and is th e latest w o rk in w h a t I call m y

“ R om antic Historical M e th .” T h at is, m y a tte m p t to bring back

th e grand academ ic tra d itio n s o f th e 1800s w h e n painters like

Jean Leon Jero m e d e v o te d yards and yards o f canvas to g re a t

m ythological and ro m a n tic historical subjects. I'm a tte m p tin g to

b e s to w on th e icons o f ou r tim e this sam e fe e lin g o f m ytholo gical

g ran d eu r p ain ted in an academ ic style, a style o f painting th a t w as

cast aside w ith th e a d v e n t o f im pressionism and m o d ern a rt.95

Fig. 8 9 T o d d S c h o rr, P ilg rim ’s Progress, 2 0 0 0 , acrylic o n canvas.

71
 Fig. 9 0 T od d S c h o rr, W h e n Fairly Tales Collide, 2 0 0 8 , G ra p h ite o n p a p e r.

Fig. 91 T odd S c h o rr, W h e n Fairly Tales Collide, 2 0 0 8 , acrylic o n p a p e r.

From King Kong to Carl A k eley’s ill-fated victim o f his last hunt, th e gorilla im agery

runs fro m ca rto o n y fun to a m o re th o u g h tfu l and respectful d epiction o f th e actual

cre a tu re . Schorr answ ers th e qu estion a b o u t w h a t inspires him and h o w he is able to delve

in to th e zo n e th a t artists need to b e in to create g re a t w o rk:

M y a rt is m y life and e v e ry th in g I've e v e r p ain ted is a reflectio n o f som e aspect o f

m y life, e ith e r lived o r ob served, since I was able to fo rm th o u g h ts . I7ve always

been a d re a m e r w ith an overactive im agination, so it ’s n ever been a p roblem

com in g up w ith ideas. If o th e r artists especially w ill ask m e, ‘W h e re do your

ideas co m e fr o m ?7 1 will a n s w e r th a t it7s n atu ral, like b reath in g . It ’s m o re th an

a passion; it’s a com pulsion— so m eth in g th a t’s hard to explain to others so you

p u t it into your w o rk .96 T h e trick o f course, is to ta k e th o se ideas and tran slate

72
 th e m into s o m eth in g th a t n o t only conveys w h a t you're trying to say, but

presents it n a visually co m m a n d in g m ann er. Som etim es ideas m an ifest

them selves fully fo rm e d as a clear m en tal p cture w h e re all th a t's n eed ed

is to d ic ta te th e idea directly fro m m ind, to d raw ing , to canvas.9'

Also, he defines his u ltim a te reason and purpose fo r artistic activities by h o w he sees

him self. “ I see m yself as p a rt fantas st, social c o m m e n ta to r, and cultural anth ro p o lo g ist,

w o rk in g in an academ ic style and using th e symbolism re levan t to m y tim e and place. I'll be

very h appy just to kee p d rea m in g and p ain tin g w h a te v e r I w a n t to p a in t." 9

Fig . 9 2 T od d S c h o rr, A p e W o rs h ip , 2 0 0 8 , acrylic o n canvas.

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C hapter 4

In ter view s

1. E l i z a b e t h M c G rath

Elizabeth M cG rath is an am azing artist w h o w orks prim arily in th e fields o f

sculpture and an im atio n in California. H er w o rk is chiefly expressive o f th e shad o w y side o f

real life, so she is also called B lo o dbath M cG rath , her nicknam e a fte r th e subject issue o f

h e r w orks. E lizabeth M cG rath alw ays pursues th e unusual b eau ty in th e g ro tesq u en es o f

life. M o tiv a te d by th e relationship b e tw e e n th e natu ral w o rld and th e debris o f co nsum er

culture, she creates a n e w cavalcade o f creatures fro m th e d a rk e r sides o f th e streets, th e

city, and th e im agination. It is this m elancholy in teractio n b e tw e e n m an -m ad e status

sym bols and th e su fferin g specim ens o f n a tu re th a t m ake up her intricate body o f w o rk .

Elizabeth M cG rath 's sculpture tries to m ake co n tact using sim ilar m eans;

h o w e v e r, her signifiers are very d iffe re n t. She draw s h e r ideas n o t only fro m c o n te m p o ra ry

c ra ft cu ltu re b ut also h er Catholicism , s tre e t culture, As'an culture, G oth culture,

storybooks, th e m e parks, Chicano culture, and so m any o th e r influences. She absorbs all o f

th e m and creates h e r o w n surroundings in w hich she m ay stage dram as and m ake

scenarios th a t d ra w upon h er o w n practical k n o w led g e and interactions w ith th e outside

w o r ld /00

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Fig. 9 3 Liz M c g ra th , T h im b le Riggers S ch w ein H aben , 2 0 0 8 , w o o d , resin , fo a m .

F ig. 9 4 Liz M c g ra th , D e a r House, 2 0 0 8 , m ix e d m e d ia .

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1. W h a t w as it t h a t o r i gi n al l y i nspi r ed you t o s t ar t d r a w i n g and p a i nt i n g -

EM: I th in k I alw ays enjoyed th a t m o re than o th e r subjects in class.

2. W h i l e y ou w e r e g r o w i n g up, di d y ou e n j o y s k e t c h i n g / p a i n t i n g o r d o i n g any o t h e r art-

r e l a t ed projects?

EM: M y a u n t had a large bar and re stau ran t she kn ew I liked to d ra w so she had m e w ritin g

o u t th e m enus w ith little d raw in gs o f th e specials on th e ch alkboards— th a t led to

designing m enus and o th e r item s, d eco ratin g fo r holidays and such.

3. W h a t w e r e / a r e s o m e o f t h e m a j o r i nf l ue nc es in y o u r life t h a t a f f e c t e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t

o f y o u r u ni q u e style o f visual expr essi on? A n d w h o lias i n f l u e n c e d y ou t h e most?

EM: I’d have to say th a t m y a u n t w as a huge influence fo r m e. She has recently passed

aw ay, b u t I d id n 't realize till lately h o w influential she was; she basically built her

restau ran ts fro m th e flo o r up, hiding secret symbols in th e brick w o rk and such. She w o u ld

d rag m y sister and I to all kinds o f design houses, fabric shopping, flo w e r shopping, t-shirt

p rinting, etc. I w as very yo u n g b u t I th in k th a t opened m y eyes to th e m aterials th a t w e re

o u t th e re . L ater I to o k classes at Pasadena City College. I n ever th o u g h t o f m yself as an

artist, I started w ith fashion classes and later to o k a painting class w ith M r. Tacaguchi and

he really inspired m e to ex p lo re p ain tin g and sculpture.

4. Did y ou e v er m e e t a n y o n e t h a t i n f l u e n c e d o r m a d e a l i f e -c ha ng i n g i m p a c t in y o u r artistic

career?

EM: I m e t an a n im a to r nam ed Fred Stuhr w h o directed music videos and com m ercials. I

s tarted to w o rk fo r him , building sets and puppets, and th e re I w as able to p ut to use

e v ery th in g I had learned o v e r th e years, and I learned so much fro m him and his te a m . He

w as a very big influence on th e a rt I do today.

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5. W h e n y ou are g e t t i n g i n to a c r e a t i v e m o d e , w h a t are s om e t i l i n g s t h a t y ou do o r like t h a t

i nspi re and i nf lu en c e y o u r w o r k?

EM: I like to go to th e library. T h ere's so m eth in g a b o u t th e smell o f old books and th e

quietness and especially a t th e LA library th e arch itectu re. O f course I do th e best research

online, b u t going to th e library trig gers so m eth in g to g e t th e ball rolling.

6. W h a t is t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f t he c r e a t i ve process f o r you?

EM: O rg an izin g m y thoughts!!! I have a lot o f ideas and I w a n t to do th e m all, b u t n ever

k n o w w h e re to s ta rt so I do none o f th e m — this w a s n 't th e case 10 years ago, b u t as I g e t

o ld e r I’m g e ttin g m o re confused!!! So n o w I have to w rite o u t lists and lists fo r m y lists, and

once I g e t th e m in to a directio n th a t feels c o m fo rta b le th en I start to g e t it to g e th e r.

7. H o w di d y ou f i nd y o u r p er s on al v o i c e in il lust rat i on?

EM: I th in k I’m still w o rk in g on it!! Sculpture com es a lot easier fo r m e, b u t I really g e t m ore

e n jo y m e n t fro m d raw in g and painting, b u t I d o n ’t feel like I’ve spen t enough tim e w ith it

yet. I still h a v e n ’t really nailed d o w n w h a t I w a n t to do

8. If y ou coul d sum up s o m e o f t h e basic m es sa ges t h a t y o u ' r e t r y i n g t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h

y o u r w o r k , w h a t w o u l d t h e y be?

EM: I used to really try to have som e so rt o f m essage b u t it n e v e r fe lt right. I th in k n o w I

just w a n t to m ake p eo p le feel happy w h e n th e y see m y w o rk , b ut I have a very d ark sense

o f h u m o r so som etim es it just com es o ff as frightening!

9. Is t h e r e a p a r t i c u l a r age g r o u p t h a t y o u r a r t w o r k seems t o especi al ly appeal to?

EM: I th in k yo u n g er p eo p le seem to id en tify w ith it m ore, o r p eo p le youn g a t heart!

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10. W h a t w e r e s o m e chal lenges, 'hurdl es in y o u r w o r k , and h o w did y ou o v e r c o m e t h e m ?

EM: S om etim es especially w ith sculpture fin an cin g w h a t you w a n t to do can be challenging;

as m uch as I'd like to just m ake g iant installations and such I still have to be practical and

m ake a certain a m o u n t o f s tu ff th a t is sellable. Galleries have been really d ifficu lt to deal

w ith . N o w I’m in a good place, b u t galleries will suck th e soul o u t o f you. I d o n ’t kn o w w h y

artists have bad rep u tatio n s, th e galleries are all so h o t-h ead ed and egotistical - n e v e r sign

a co n tra c t w ith a gallery unless th e y are giving you m oney, a lot o f it, u p fro n t, w ith no

strings attached!!!

11. W h a t is y o u r o p i n i o n o f Pop Surrealism?

EM: I d o n ’t th in k I have any kind o f e x tre m e position on it, I th in k later d o w n th e road it will

be co m p ared w ith A rt N ouveau, o r so m eth in g like th a t because th a t w as a scene w h e re

illustration and fin e a rt cam e to g e th e r and th e re w as so m uch o f it, a huge explosion really!

I th in k to o m any p eo p le are to o hung up on w h a t is high b ro w and w h a t is lo w b ro w , w h e n

really th e y should w o rry a b o u t w h e th e r p eo p le enjoy th e a rt o r not. I did a b o o k signing

to u r th ro u g h Italy and th e y w e re tryin g to p u t to g e th e r a big lo w b ro w g ro u p sh o w in a

m useum , and th e y w e re having problem s g e ttin g artists involved because o f th e n am e lo w

b ro w — b u t th e y said th a t th e te rm “ Pop Surrealism ” is a cop out; th e re already w as pop

a rt and th e re alread y w as surrealism , L o w b ro w is n ew and it’s ours, and I really liked th e

w a y th e y p u t th at!

I w as actually a t th e m e e tin g th a t th e y had in L.A. to com e up w ith a n e w te rm fo r lo w

b ro w . Som e o f th e "L o w b ro w " artists fe lt th a t being associated w ith th a t label w ou ld

a ffe c t th e ir careers. Also th e y d id n ’t like th e ir peers. W h e n it firs t started a lot o f th e artists

w e re d o in g com ic books, record covers, car art; very fe w had gone to a rt school, th e y w e re

kind o f like o utlaw s! A nd it show ed in th e ir subject m a tte r. As it g re w so did th e subject

m a tte r, and m o re and m o re very ta le n te d a rt students w e re a ttra c te d to th e scene. A lo t o f

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th e artists w o u ld buy a rt fro m each o th e r a t th e shows to su p p o rt each o th e r — it w as a

very grass roots th in g and slow ly m o re and m o re galleries spro u ted up all o ver th e w o rld . I

re m e m b e r th e y cam e up w ith th a t te rm and fro m th en on it stuck in certain circles ( but

really it’s just lo w b r o w ! ).

12. H o w d o y ou t h i n k Pop Sur real ism shou l d progress? W h a t a b o u t f a c i ng p r o b l e m s and

n e w d i r e c t i o n s o f Pop Surrealism?

EM: I u ltim ately th in k th a t in 20 years th e te rm “ Pop Surrealism ” will just be kn o w n as

“ L o w b ro w ”— I th in k it is progressing into a very com m ercial direction, th e vehicles th a t

helped g e t it o u t th e re in to th e w o rld are n o w using it to sell ad space— it’s going into a

s tre e t art directio n . It will be very in terestin g to see h o w it evolves; th e re are so m any n e w

g re a t artists com ing up.

13. W h a t advi ce w o u l d y ou gi ve t o t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f il l ustrators?

EM: D on’t fo llo w th e tren d s to o m uch because th e people w h o do look d ated fa ts — m ake

s tu ff you like be sm art w ith w h o you sign up w ith have fun! It is n o t a co m p etitio n , th e tru e

a rtis t is m aking a rt w ell in to old age because th a t is w h a t th e y do. D on’t exp ect to g e t rich

fro m it!!!! A nd if you do, d o n ’t g e t stuck m aking th e sam e things fo r p ro fit, keep exp an d in g

and g ro w in g yo u r ideas!

14. W h a t key w o r d s w o u l d y ou use t o d ef i n e surreal isti c i l lust rat i on?

EM: Escapism, Pop Culture.

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2 .A l e x G r o s s

As one o f th e g re a t gallery artists, he is presently w o rk in g in Los Angeles, California.

He is n o w an am azingly creative and brilliant artist in L.A. A lex G ro s s (i9 6 8 -) specializes in oil

paintings on canvas and th e th e m e s o f his w o rk include com m erce, splendid beauty,

g lo b alizatio n , d a rk chaos, and th e relentless passage o f tim e . A lex Gross received a deg ree

in 1990 fro m th e A rt C e n ter College o f Design, Pasadena, California. He has been described

as a gallery artist in th e Pop Surrealism m o v e m e n t since his g rad u atio n . A lex Cross traveled

to Japan to r a b o u t tw o m o n th s and collected various exam ples o f Japanese Fine and

C om m ercial art. Taschen p u t to g e th e r and published p a rt o f his collection in 2004 en titled

Japanese Beauties101

Fig- 95 A le x G ross, The Last J u d g e m e n t, 2 0 0 7 , oil o n canvas.

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1. W h a t w a s it t h a t or igi na l l y i nspi red y ou t o s t a r t d r a w i n g and pai nt i ng?

AG: Comic books. As a kid I loved com ic books and everyth in g I d re w w as copied o r

inspired by comics.

2. W h i l e y ou w e r e g r o w i n g up, di d y o u e nj o y s k e t c h i n g / p a i n t i n g o r d o i n g any o t h e r ar t

r e l a t ed projects?

AG: Yes. D raw in g w as alw ays a big p a rt o f m y life ever since I w as little.

3. W h a t w e r e / a r e s o m e o f t h e m a j o r i n fl u en ce s in y o ur life t h a t a f f e c t e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t

o f y o u r u n i q u e style o f visual expr es si on? A n d w h o has i n f l u e n c e d you t h e most?

AG: In no p articu lar order: Christian Schad, G eorge T ooker, M a x B eckm ann, David Hockney,

A ro n W iesen feld , Hans M em lin g , R ogier van d e r W eyd en , Jan van Eyck, Dieric Bouts,

M asam i Teraoka, Alice N eel, Frida Kahlo, th e Clayton B rothers, A m ad eo M odigliani,

Yoshitoshi, C hikanobu, Richard Lindner, Shinohara Katsuyuki, G iotto, Fra A ngelico, Kikuho

Kudo, M o eb iu s, H ieronym us Bosch, Bari Kum ar, Jam es jean, Erik Sandberg, Stanley

D o n w o o d . O th e r th an artists, I have been influenced by vintage p h o to g ra p h y , m ovie

posters, w o o d b lo c k prints fro m Japan, film , and m any o th e r things.

4. Did y ou e v e r m e e t a n y o n e t h a t i n f l u e n c e d o r m a d e a life c h a n g i n g i m p a c t in y o u r artistic

career?

AG: I c a n 't th in k o f one p articu lar person w h o im pacted m e m o re th an any o thers. But

w h e n I w a n te d to go to a rt school th e re w as a designer th a t I k n e w w h o w as th e person

th a t to ld m e a b o u t A rt C en ter College o f Design. If n o t fo r him I m ay n ever have know n

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a b o u t A rt C en ter and m ig h t have ended up going to a n o th e r school. So I suppose talkin g

w ith him changed m y life and m y career as an artist.

5. W h e n y ou are g e t t i n g i n t o a c re at i v e m o d e , w h a t are s o m e t h i n g s t h a t you d o o r like t h a t

i nspi re and i n f l u e n c e y o u r w o r k?

AG: M usic is im p o rta n t w h e n I am painting. But b e fo re th a t, w h en I am m aking m y com ps,

it's im p o rta n t to have lots o f inspirational im agery. I have a large library o f books and I also

fin d th e In te rn e t to be a necessary to o l in th e creative process as w ell. And I need to be le ft

alone and n o t b o th e re d . I d o n 't like to hear th e p h one o r be spoken to w h e n I am com ing

up w ith n e w im age ideas.

6. W h a t is t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f t h e c r e a ti v e pr ocess f o r you?

AG: I do n o t q u ite u nderstand this question o r h o w it is d iffe re n t fro m th e previous

question.

7. H o w did y ou fi nd y o u r per sonal voi ce in i ll ustrat ion?

AG: I do n o t th in k I really had a personal voice as an illustrator until I ab an d o n ed m y old

illustration style and began creating paintings fo r m yself and fo r gallery exh ibition. Then

th a t voice began to bleed over in to th e illustration w o rk and th e tw o w orlds becam e very

m ixed. It can ta k e a long tim e to find one's personal voice. It's im p o rta n t n o t to rush to

have a "style". Students g e t m ixed messages a b o u t styles b ut th ey all envy th e o th e r

students w h o already seem to have a nice style. Still, som etim es those styles are fo rc e d ,

fa k e d , o r tre n d y fo r th e m o m e n t, b u t th e y d o n 't last. It's b e tte r to ta k e tim e to develo p th e

voice, w hich is a g re a t te rm , and to keep honing it and evolving it as your career progresses.

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8. If yo u c oul d sum up s o m e o f t h e basic messages t h a t y o u ' r e t r y i n g t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h

y o u r w o r k , w h a t w o u l d t h e y be?

AG: Each piece has d iffe re n t th e m e s. They are n ot really messages p e r se, b u t th e y are each

discussing d iffe re n t th e m e s . Lately I am w o rk in g w ith th e m e s like love and relationships,

m o rtality , co m m u n icatio n , and o u r m odern c o rp o rate society.

9. Is t h e r e a p a r t i c u l a r age g r o u p t h a t y o u r a r t w o r k s eems t o especi al ly appeal to?

AG: I really d o n 't k n o w b u t I hope not.

10. W h a t w e r e s o m e c h a l l e n g e s / h u r d l e s in y o u r w o r k , and h o w did you o v e r c o m e t h e m ?

AG: The challenge o f sup p o rtin g oneself and la te r a fam ily as a self-em ployed artist is a

g re a t challenge. Especially in this country, w h e re you are penalized every year at ta x tim e

and also by th e h ealth insurance com panies, if you are self em p lo yed . It's very d ifficu lt to

ev e r m ake any real m o n ey in this business, even w h e n your w o rk sells fo r dozens o f

thousands o f dollars.

11. W h a t is y o u r o p i n i o n o f Pop Surrealism?

AG: I d o n 't believe in m o v e m e n ts fo r th e m o st p a rt, and I th in k th a t pop surrealism is just a

nam e given to a large g ro u p o f diverse artists th a t d o n 't alw ays have m uch in com m o n

o th e r th a n th e fa c t th a t th e y are m o re or less re p resen tatio n al ra th e r than abstract. I have

opinions a b o u t individual artists, b u t I can 't c o m m e n t on pop surrealism as a w h o le

because I d o n 't th in k it's real.

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12. H o w do you t h i n k Pop Sur real i sm s h oul d progress? W h a t a b o u t f a c i n g p r o b l e m s and

n e w d i r e c t i o n s o f Pop Surrealism?

AG: W e ll, since I've already said th a t I d o n 't really believe in pop surrealism , I will assume

th a t you m ean to ask m e h o w should (th e ) artists in this field progress. O f course each

artist is d iffe re n t. But w h a t I find th a t m o st artists have in co m m o n is th e desire to have

th e ir w o rk ta ke n m o re seriously as th ey g ro w and as th e y g e t older. Young artists in th e ir

20s just w a n t to have shows and m ake som e m oney w ith th e ir w o rk . Then la te r in th e ir 30s

o r 40s, th e y start th in kin g a b o u t b e tte r galleries, review s, having books o f th e ir w o rk , and

possibly g e ttin g som e m useum show s. This kind o f w o rk is being ta k e n m o re seriously bit

by bit, b u t it's takin g tim e . I've heard gallery ow ners w h o th in k it will be so established in

te n o r tw e n ty years th a t it w o n 't even be th o u g h t o f as a lo w e r class o f a rt th an high art,

b u t I d o n 't kn o w if I ag ree w ith th a t. Again, I th in k it depends on th e artist. I can

u nderstand w h y certain artists have risen up in this m o v e m e n t and been able to g ro w o u t

o f it and beyond it, like th e Clayton brothers, because th e ir w o rk is tru ly g re a t. But then

th e re are artists in pop surrealism books and in shows w h o are n o t very good, and th ey will

n o t help this m o v e m e n t to g ro w . So again, it just d epends on th e individual. The main

issue is th a t 'high' a rt th a t you see in th e to p galleries is m ostly crap these days, and 99 o u t

o f 100 p eo p le th a t see it will tell you th a t it is crap. This is w h y th e re is an o p p o rtu n ity fo r

rep res en ta tio n al painters to m ake an im p act and to catch th e in te re s t o f masses o f people

all o ve r th e w o rld . Installation a rt is n o t going to do th a t.

13. W h a t advi ce w o u l d y ou gi ve t o t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f i ll ustrators?

AG: I w o u ld say d o n 't th in k o f yourself as an illustrator an ym o re. An illu strato r is basically a

w h o re . Pleasing a client fo r m o n ey. Think o f yourself as an artist. M a k e your a rt in your

o w n w a y and g e t into th e fin e a rt w o rld . Then, w h en a com m ercial client com es to you

w ith an illustration p ro ject, it is because th e y respect yo u r a rt w o rk and th e y w a n t you to

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do your special th in g fo r th e ir project. It's m o re o f a co llaborative idea th an ju st hiring an

illu strato r to give th e m w h a t th e y n eed . I hope th a t m akes sense. All th e b est fin e artists

have lots o f illustration o p p o rtu n ities, o fte n m o re th an illustrators do. So pursue your o w n

a rt, and th e illustration will fo llo w .

Fig. 9 6 A le x Gross, H ie ro p h a n t, 2 0 0 8 , oil on canvas.

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3 . Sc o t t m u s g r o v e

A lth o u g h estee m e d as o n e o f th e artists in th e Pop Surrealist a rt m o v e m e n t,

M u sg ro ve id en tifies m o re w ith historical artists. His w o rk has been show n in th e b o o k Pop

Surrealism— The Rise o f Underground A rt, m agazines such as Hi-Fructose, and Juxtapoz, and

m any m o re. He has been fe a tu re d in galleries around th e w o rld , including Jonathan Levine

G allery in N e w York and Roq La Rue Gallery in S eattle as w ell as The Laguna A rt M u seu m in

C alifornia.102

Fig- 97 A le x G ross, N im b u s, 2 0 0 9 , oil on canvas.

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 Fig. 9 8 A le x G ross, The O bservers, 2 0 0 9 , oil o n canvas.

1. W h a t w as it th a t originally inspired you to start d raw in g and painting?

SM: I started d ra w in g as a kid like everyone else. I was lucky to have a kid in one o f my

classes th a t w as a lo t b e tte r th an m e. He w o u ld show m e h o w to d ra w n e w things and th a t

k e p t m e in teres te d until I started to see im p ro vem en ts in m y w o rk draw ings.

2. W hile you w e re g ro w in g up, did you enjoy sketch in g /p ain tin g o r doing any o th e r art-

related projects?

SM: I spent a lo t o f tim e as a te e n a g e r just copying logos fro m m y fa v o rite bands.

3. W h a t w e re /a re som e o f th e m a jo r influences in your life th a t a ffe c te d th e d e v e lo p m e n t

o f yo u r unique style o f visual expression? And w h o has influenced you th e most?

SM: I w o u ld say I have been m o s t influenced by artists fro m th e Renaissance and m any o f

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th e landscape paintings o f th e Hudson River School.

4. Did you e v er m e e t a n y o n e t h a t i n f l u e n c e d o r m a d e a life c h a n g i n g i m p a c t in y o u r artistic

career?

SM: W h e n I w as a young te e n a g e r m y m om to o k m e to m e e t an illustrator. I sat and

w a tc h e d him re n d e r an eye. N o th in g fancy, but since I w a tc h e d th e w h o le process o f

d raw in g and ren d erin g , I began to th in k th a t it w a s n 't q u ite m agic and th a t m aybe I could

do it m yself som eday.

5. W h e n you are g e t t i n g i n t o a c r e at i v e m o d e , w h a t are s o m e t h i n g s t h a t y ou d o o r like t h a t

i nspi re and i nf l u en ce y o u r w o r k ?

SM : Even if I’m n o t in th e m o o d fo r it, if I need to g e t w o rk d one I just s ta rt d raw in g and

see w h a t happens. For m e, th a t usually m eans g e ttin g o ut o f m y studio. I have a couple o f

cafes w h e re I g o w h e n I need to com e up w ith sketches and n e w ideas. For som e reason,

it’s easier fo r m e to do th e initial sketching so m ew h ere besides m y studio.

6. H o w did you fi nd y o u r p er s on al voi ce in i llustration?

SM: It’s just th ro u g h trial and e rro r really. Just keep d raw in g and p ain tin g and eventually

certain ways o f w o rk seem to m ake m o re sense.

7. If y o u c ou l d s um u p s o m e o f t h e basic, me ssages t h a t y o u ’re t r y i n g t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h

y o u r w o r k , w h a t w o u l d t h e y be?

SM: In th e series o f paintings called The Late Fauna o f Early N orth Am erica, th e underlying

th e m es are o f en viro n m en talism . (B e lo w is som e m ore in fo rm atio n a b o u t The Late Fauna

88
o f Early N orth America: Scott M u sg ro ve unearths previously undiscovered anim als through

a d ed icated and scientifically u n -appro ved practice o f zoological im pressionism . A lonestar

in th e field , he ventures w h e re th e g ray-m an ed, khaki-clad, an thropolo gists w ith ivory

w a lk in g sticks have n o t tu n n e lin g b en eath freew ays and ditch-com bing along th e rough

borders o f A m erican m ini-m alls, in search o f undiscovered and, up to this p o in t, at least,

e x tin c t anim als. The Late Fauna o f Early N orth America fe a tu re s lush, highly detailed

landscapes and up-close en co u n ters w ith all m an n er o f strang e and beau tifu l creatures.

Full co lo r rep ro d u ctio n s o f his paintings ab o u n d , including unique an tiq u e fram es, custom

g o ld -en g raved nam ep lates, carved w o o d e n sculptures, w aterco lo rs, ink draw ings, and

pencil renderings fro m th e field . Scott's u n o rth o d o x research m eth o d s co m bin ed w ith his

u n m atch ed facility w ith paint and co lor result in a fascinating survey o f w h a t m ig h t have

been in N o rth A m erica, if n o t fo r th e invasion o f pernicious settlers.)

8. Is t h e r e a p a r t i c u l a r age g r o u p t h a t y o u r a r t w o r k seems t o especi al ly appeal to?

SM: It seem s to have som e appeal across all age ranges. I'm surprised h o w m any kids seem

to like m y w o rk . I kind o f th o u g h t th e y m ay find it odd o r disturbing, b u t th e y generally

seem to respond very w ell to it.

9. W h a t is y o u r o p i n i o n o f Pop Surrealism?

SM : I th in k Pop Surrealism is a very broad te rm . It basically encom passes a lo t o f artists

w h o d o n 't q u ite fit into any o th e r m o v e m e n t. I th in k th e te rm is m o re useful fo r th e public

as a w a y to categ o rize certain w o rks ... ra th e r th an being useful to th e artists. W e 're all just

kind o f doin g o u r o w n th in g b u t I guess it d o esn 't h u rt to have a “ m o v e m e n t" th a t pulls us

all fo rw a rd a bit.

10. H o w d o yo u t h i n k Pop Sur real ism s h o ul d progress? W h a t a b o u t f a c i n g p r o b l e m s and

89
n e w d i r e c t i o n s o f Pop Surrealism?

SM: I honestly have n o t given this m uch th o u g h t.

11. W h a t adv ice w o u l d you gi ve t o t he n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f i l lustrators?

I w o u ld say th a t it’s im p o rta n t to learn h o w to w o rk even w h en you d o n ’t feel like w o rkin g ,

W o rk even w h e n yo u ’re n o t inspired. Just keep w o rkin g .

N ico lletta Ceccoli is an Italian illu strator and artist. The characteristics o f h er w o rk

are w a rm and cruel at th e sam e tim e , loving and dark, sim ilar to any really good fairy tale.

H er p o etic little m u ta n t misses enclosed in d ream y m ystery are loved by m any. Her w orks

reveal an ap p ealin g and eerie m oodiness. The m ysterious, lifeless beauty o f an tiq u e dolls is

th e core inspiration fo r th e pale and gothic b eau ty o f N icolletta Ceccoli’s illustrations. A

prolific artist, she has illustrated several c h ild ren ’s books, and has shown her w orks in Paris,

Los Angeles, and Osaka. O f her o w n w o rk , she described th a t she fre q u e n tly creates

settings w hich are silent and solitary. The figures in h er w orks are lonely creatures w hich

w a llo w in a m o o d y and dark atm o sp h ere she likens to “ b itte rs w e e t n ig h tm ares.” They are

solitary creatures, and th e y w a llo w in a ch angeable atm o sp h ere. These fe m a le figures are

o fte n a b an d o n e d , flo a tin g in e m p ty spaces, w h ile an im pending sense o f th re a t seems to

90
h o v er nearby. N ico lletta's a rt leads th e v ie w e r into a w o rld o f joyful and untold stories. She

unravels th rea d s th a t en g ag e us to exp lo re th e m ystery th a t lies u n d e r th e surface o f

everyday living.103

F ig. 9 9 N ic o lle tta C eccoli, Crow s, 2 0 0 9 , acrylic o n p a p e r.

1. W h a t w as it th a t originally inspired you to start d raw in g and painting?

NC: I g re w up in a small co u n try city in th e republic o f San M arin o , an in d ep en d en t state in

th e m iddle o f Italy. M y fa th e r w o rk e d w o o d and he is th e creative p a rt o f m y fam ily. I spent

som e o f m y childhood crea tin g things; toys, objects, w ith m y hands in his laboratory. I

e n tere d th e a rt field fro m school to the profession o f illu s tra to r... No one o f th e m w e re

91
directly in terested in art, b e fo re m e. I a tte n d e d an art school, placed inside th e I5 th-century

ducal palace o f U rbino, Italy. ...A magical place w h e re tim e seem s to have sto p p ed . M y

love fo r classical a rt com es fro m th e air and a rt I breath ed th e re , w h e re th e re are also a

fe w trea su red paintings by a p a in te r th a t I love most: Piero Della Francesca.

2. W h i c h a ar t i s t i nf l u e n c e d you t h e most ?

NC: The artist th a t to u ch ed m e m o re in m y early years at school w as Stasys Eydrigevicious.

3. H o w did y o u usually c o l le ct i nspi rat i on?

NC: Paul Klee once described an artist as being like a tre e , d ra w in g th e m inerals o f

e xp erien ce fro m its ro o ts — things observed, read, to ld, and fe lt— and slow ly proces

sing th e m into n e w leaves.

Th e principle o f “ o rig in a lity” is m o re a b o u t a kind o f tra n s fo rm a tio n o f existing id

eas th an th e invention o f e n tirely n e w ones fo r m e. W ords like “ in sp iratio n ” can e

asily co n vey a false im pression th a t ideas o r feelings a p p e a r sp o n tan eo u sly and o f

th e ir o w n accord. M y o w n exp e rien ce is th a t inspiration has m o re to do w ith caref

ul research and looking fo r a challenge; and th a t creativity is a b o u t playing w ith w

h a t I fin d , te s tin g o n e p ro p o sitio n against a n o th e r and seeing h o w things com bine

and react.

4. W h e n y ou are g e t t i n g i n t o a c r eat i ve m o d e , w h a t are s o m e t h i n g s t h a t you d o o r like

t h a t i nspi re and i n f l ue nc e y o u r w o r k ?

NC: I fig u re a m ain rough and th e n collect th e necessary do cu m en ts in o rd e r to d ra w it.

W h ile I am collecting d ocum ents, th e idea changes, b ut a concrete p ainting brings precise

co n te n ts. I consider music just a background w h en I w ork; o fte n w h e n I am co n cen tratin g I

92
d o n ’t hear an yth in g . I usually love to listen to my fa v o rite radio, *rai tr e ’, w h en I w o rk . M y

fa v o rite musicians are D e m e tric Stratos, th e Cure, Dead Kennedys, Joy Division.

5. H o w did you find your personal voice in illustration?

NC: A style com es fro m all o f life /a rt exp erience.

6. W h a t w e re som e challenges/hurdles in yo u r w o rk , and h o w did you o verco m e them ?

NC: Simply w o rk in g hard. Both th e concep t rough and th e painting have difficulties to be

co n q u ered .

Fig. 100 Nicolletta Ceccoli, Evidently Goldgish, 2008, acrylic on paper.

93
7- I w a n t t o k n o w , w h y a!! t h e girls c r e at ed by y o u r ha nd all have an eg g- sha p ed face? Do

t h es e girls s t and f o r y o u r s e l f in s o m e way, in y o u r heart?

NC: It’s n o t s o m eth in g th a t I am aw are o f or th a t I decide consciously. In m y w orlds, m y

pictures all te n d to be round and w ith a child like design, b u t th e frien d ly has also always a

h in t o f dark. The girls in m y paintings express a delicate nostalgia,EDvanity o r fragilty,

cruelty and beau ty, sim ultaneously. I feel these girls as m y o th e r self, in b e tw e e n c

hildhood and adolescence m aybe, because inside o f m e I d o n ’t feel like an ad u lt ye

t.

8. I k n o w you have w o r k e d f o r f il ms and hooks, and t h e se genr es seem! so d i f f e r e n t . H o w

d o you a c c l i m at e y o u r s e l f t o t h es e d i f f e r e n t industries?

NC: I try to do all w ith a lo t o f care. The approach b e tw e e n m aking designs fo r film

characters o r th o se in a b o o k is n o t very d iffe re n t. You have to give your o w n

in te rp re ta tio n o f a story o r o f a character, b u t w o rk in g on a film m eans to fo llo w only a

little p a rt o f th e p ro je ct w h ile w h e n I illustrate a book I am th e only “ d ire c to r” o f it.

9. Y o ur f e m a l e f ig ur e s l o o k so full o f e q u a n i m i t y , n o t o f m o r e e x pr es si on , b u t o ne can still

f eel t h e i r m o o d . H o w d o y o u a cc o m p l i s h this?

NC: Again I am n o t c o m p le te ly aw a re o f these choices. I have adm iration fo r som e artists

th a t have a kind o f inexpressive w a y to dep ict th e ir characters, in particular Piero Della

Francesca, an Italian Renaissance painter. His ‘ inexpressive’ M ad o n n as are th e queens o f

enigm a and reveal a tim eless m o o d and m ystery th a t I love.

10. W h y are t h e girls in y o u r w o r k a ss em bl ed w i t h ani mal s o r o t h e r things? W h a t d o you

w a n t t o express?

94
NC: I th in k th e y express a b e au ty and ugliness at th e sam e tim e; they are still enticing

th o u g h th e y o fte n are freaks. Th e w eirdness can be a typ e o f beauty, m o re th an p erfectio n .

11. W h a t advice w o u ld you give to th e n e x t g en eratio n o f illustrators?

NC: I see m any artists w h o have fo u n d th e ir d iffe re n t o w n w ay to express and live th e ir art.

From m y exp erien ce, ta le n t is only one o f th e im p o rta n t things th a t are n eed ed . Luck is

an o th e r, and being a hard w o rk e r also helps.

Fig. 101 N ic o lle tta C eccoli, Sheryl, 2 0 0 9 , acrylic o n p a p e r.

95
C hapter 4

Summary

Pop Surrealism is a visual a rt m o v e m e n t directly based on to d a y ’s tren d s th a t

includes u n d erg ro u n d comics, h o t rod and s tre e t cultures, and punk music. It is a

w id esp read and p o p u lar a rt m o v e m e n t th a t originally arose in Los Angeles, California. Pop

Surrealism is actively ongoing. Pop Surrealism is o fte n called L o w b ro w art. Because th e

Pop Surrealism m o v e m e n t is o n g o ing and relatively new s it has a short history. T h e re fo re

d efin in g tw o th e te rm s exactly is d ifficu lt and still u n d er som e d eb ate.

Beginning w ith R o b ert W illiam s, various g re a t pop surrealists e m erg ed , and th e y

actively pursued th e ir ow n w o rk in a variety o f fields, such as w ithin galleries, advertising,

m ovies, fashion, and music. M a n y galleries and m agazines, (fo r exam p le, Juxtapoz, Hi

Fructose m agazine, and th e La Roq La Rue gallery and Jonathan Levine gallery) aggressively

looked fo r and encouraged o u tstan d in g rising n ew illustrators w h o se evocative styles

w o n d e rfu lly rep re se n te d to d a y ’s art. They led th e w ay fo r o th e r g re a t artists, w h o have

am azin g technical craftsm anship and passion, to actively and do fa ith fu lly c re a te w ith o u t

restriction. In o th e r w o rd s, th o se m agazines and galleries becam e th e m o st im p o rta n t

routes to Pop Surrealism artists fo r displaying th e ir fa ith and w o rk.

Today, Pop surrealism is continues as an a rt tre n d . The art m o v e m e n t influences

m any fields as w ell as itself having been influenced by m any areas. This m eans it can be

tran s fe rre d and d evelo p ed constantly. Pop Surrealism has unlim ited p o te n tia l, and th e re

w ill be m any o p p o rtu n ities fo r it to g ro w and change in th e fu tu re . I am going to w atch

w ith th e an ticip atio n it w ill evolve.

96
Endnotes

1. Kirsten Anderson, Pop Surrealism: The Rise o f Underground A rt,

San Francisco California: Ignitio Publishing, 2004, 6.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid, 6 , 7 -
4. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow A rt,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005, 21.
5. Kirsten Anderson, Pop Surrealism: The Rise o f Underground Art,
San Francisco California: Ignitio Publishing, 2004, 7.
6. Ibid, 8.
7. Ibid, 9.
8. Robert Williams, Lowbrow A rt, Bein A rt International Surreal A rt Collective,
<http://beinart.org/info/essays/robert-w illiam s.php>
9. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow A rt,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005, 21.
10. R obert Williams, Lowbrow A rt, BeinArt International Surreal A rt Collective,
<http://beinart.org/info/essays/robert-w illiam s.php>
11. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow A rt,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005, 22.
12. Ibid.
13. James, Seattelest In terv ie w : Kirsten Anderson, founder and owner o f Roq La Rue Gallery,
Seattelest, N ovem ber 2, 2005,
<http://seattlest.c0m /2005/11/02/seattlest_interview _kirsten_anders0n_f0under_and_0w ner_0f
_roq_la_rue_gallery.php>
14. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow A rt,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005, 23.
15. Ibid, 26.
16. R. Rock Enterprises, Juxtapoz Illustration, California: Gingko Press, 2008, 9.
17. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005, 27.
18. Balhatain, “ W hat is Pop Surrealism?”, Paintalicous, O ctober 21. 2007,
<http://paintalici0us.0rg/2007/11/19/what-is-p0p-surrealism />
19. R. Rock Enterprises, Juxtapoz Illustration, California: Gingko Press, 2008, 9.
20. James, Seattelest Interview : Kirsten Anderson, founder and ow ner o f Roq La Rue Gallery,
Seattelest, N ovem ber 2, 2005,
<http://seattlest.c0m /2005/11/02/seattlest_interview _kirsten_anders0n_f0under_and_0w ner_0
f_roq_la_rue_gallery.php>
21. Balhatain, “ W hat is Pop Surrealism?” Paintalicous, O ctober 21. 2007,

97
 <http://paintalici0us.0rg/2007/11/19/what-is-p0p-surrealism />
22. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art, San Francisco, CA:
Chronicle Books, 2005,126.
23. Ibid, 27.
24. Ibid.
25. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow A rt, San Francisco,
California: Chronicle Books, 2005, 27.
26. A ttaboy and Annie Owens, Under the Counter Culture Vol.12 Hi Fructose,
Richmond,California : HF Headquarters, 2009, 70-83.
27. R obert Williams, About Robert Williams, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .ro b tw illiam sstu d io .co m />.
28. David Jay, w ith Robert Williams, Psychedelic Art, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .m avericksofth em ind .co m /rw ill.htm >
29. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005,185.
30. Juxtapoz, Juxtapoz Illustration, California: Gingko Press,
<http://w w w .gingkopress.com /03-gra/juxtapoz-illustration.htm l>
31. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005,185.
32. Robert Williams, The Lowbrow A rt o f Robert Williams, San Francisco: Last Gasp, 1995,14.
33. Ibid.
34. Ibid,15.
35. David Jay, w ith Robert Williams, Psychedelic Art, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .m avericksofth em ind .co m /rw ill.htm >
36. R obert Williams, Views From A Tortured Libido, 1993, San Francisco: Last Gasp, 7.
37. David Jay, w ith Robert Williams, Psychedelic Art, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .m avericksofth em ind.co m /rw ill.htm >
38. Robert Williams, Views From A Tortured Libido, San Francisco: Last Gasp,1993, 7.
39. Joel Priddy, Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter, NACAE, year unknown,
<http://w w w .teachingcom ics.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article8iid=78:Jimbo%
20in%20Purgatory%2oby%2oGary%2oPanter8icatid=38:Study%2oGuides&ltemid=59
40. Gary Panter, Biography o f Gary Panter, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .g aryp an ter.co m /site/in d ex.p h p 7/abou t/b io g raph y/>
41. Joel Priddy, Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter, NACAE, year unknown,
<http://www.teachingcom ics.org/index.php?option=com _content8iview=article8iid=78:Jim bo%
2oin%2oPurgatory%2oby%2oGary%2oPanter8icatid=38:Study%2oGuides8iltemid=59>
42. Nik M ercer, Q&A Gary Panter, ANTHEM, Feb. 2008,
<h ttp ://anth em m ag azin e.co m /story/300>
43. Joel Priddy, Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter, NACAE, year unknown,
<http://www.teachingcom ics.org/index.php?option=com _content8iview=article8iid=78:Jim bo%
20in%2oPurgatory%2oby%2oGary%2oPanter&catid=38:Study%2oGuides8dtemid=59>
44. Gary Panter, Comic Creator: Gary Panter, LAMBIEK.NET, year unknown,

98
 < http ://lam b iek.n et/artists/p /p an ter.h tm >
45. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005,113.
46. Ibid, 113.
47. Gary Panter, Biography o f Cary Panter, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .garypanter.co m /site/in d ex.p h p 7/about/biography/>
48. Gary Panter, Biography o f Gary Panter, year unknown,
<http ://w w w .garypanter.co m /site/in d ex.p h p 7/about/biography/>
49. Joel Priddy, Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter, NACAE, year unknown,
<http://www.teachingcomics.org/index.php7option=com_content&view=article8iid=78:Jimbo%
20in%20Purgatory%20by%20Gary%20Panter&catid=38:Study%20Guides&ltemid=59>
50. Gary Panter, Comic Creator: Gary Panter, LAMBIEK.NET, year unknown,
<h ttp://lam biek.net/artists/pfpanter.htm >
51. Gary Panter, HAMMER Lectures, Jan. 2010,
<http://ham m er.ucla.edu/program s/detail/program _id/364>
52. Josh Agle, SHAG: A rt o f Josh Agle, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2006, cards.
53. Dave W einstein, Eichler Network: SHAG’ World, Eichler CA M odern, year unknown,
<h ttp ://w w w .eich lernetw o rk.com /fo f_sh ag .h tm l>
54. Billy Shire, Colin Berry, SHAG ; the art o f Josh Agle, San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2006,
6-12.
55. Ibid,6-12.
56. Ibide,i2.
57. Lucinda Knapp, SHAG, Flavorpill, year unknown,
<http://flavorpill.com/losangeles/events/20o9/11/21/shag-josh-agle>
58. Dave Weinstein, Eichler Network: SHAG’ World, Eichler CA M odern, year unknown,
<h ttp ://w w w .eich lern etw o rk.com /fo f_sh ag .h tm l>
59. Dave Weinstein, Eichler Network: SHAG’ World, Eichler CA M odern, year unknown,
<h ttp://w w w .eich lern etw o rk.com /fo f_sh ag .h tm l>
60. Douglas Nason, Shag Finge Art Limited Editions, San Francisco: Last Gasp, 2006, 25.
61. Ibid, 34.
62. Ibid, 21.
63. Billy Shire, Colin Berry, SHAG : the art o f Josh Agle, San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
2006, 6-12.
64. Ibid.
65. Zolton, M ark Ryden: Lost at E M in o r: For Creative people, 2006,
<h ttp ://w w w .lo statem ino r.com /m ark-ryd en />
6 6. M ichelle M e ttle r, M ark Ryden’s The M eat Show, Eat M e Daily, April. 2009,
<h ttp://w w w .eatm edaily.com /2009/04/m ark-rydens-the-m eat-show -food-art/>
67. M ark Ryden, Biography o f M ark Ryden, year unknown, <h ttp ://w w w .m arkryd en .co m />
68. M ichelle M e ttle r, M ark Ryden’s The M eat Show, Eat M e Daily, April. 2009,
<h ttp ://w w w .eatm ed aily.com /2009/04/m ark-ryd ens-th e-m eat-sh o w -f00d -art/>
69. M ichelle M ettler, M ark Ryden’s The M eat Show, Eat M e Daily, April. 2009,

99
 <h ttp ://w w w .eatm ed aily.co m /2009/04/m ark-ryd ens-th e-m eat-sh o w -fo o d -art/>
70. Annie Owens and A ttabo y, Hi FRUCTOSE Collected Edition V0.1, San Francisco: Last Gasp
2008,152.
71. M ark Ryden, The Tree Show, N ew York: PORTERHOUSE Fine A rt Publishers, 2 00 8,1 9 .
72. Ibid, 21.
73. M ark Frauenfelder, M ark Ryden’s The Tree Show A rt, BingBoing, Feb. 2009,
<http://boingboing.net/2009/02/01/m ark-rydens-the-tree.htm l>
74. M ark Ryden, The Tree Show, N ew York: PORTERHOUSE Fine A rt Publishers, 2008,15.
75. Ibid,21.
76. Annie Owens and A ttabo y, Under the Counter Culture Vol.11 HI FRUCTOSE, Richmond California:
HF Headquarters, 2009, 60.
77. Ibid.
78. Annie Owens and A ttaboy, HI FRUCTOSE Collected Edition V0I.1, San Francisco: LAST GASP, 2008,
150.
79. Ibid, 152.
80. Ibid, 158.
81. Annie Owens and A ttabo y, Under the Counter Culture Vol.11 HI FRUCTOSE, Richmond California:
HF Headquarters, 2009, 62.
82. Ibid, 66.
83. ibid.
84. M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow A rt,
San Francisco, California : Chronicle Books, 2005,126.
85. Scott Beale,Todd Schorr: American Surreal Exhibition,Laughing Squid, June 2009,
<http://laughingsquid.com/todd-schorr-american-surreal-exhibition-at-san-jose-museum -of-art-
new-book-by-last-gasp/>
86. Scott Beale, Todd Schorr: American Surreal Exhibition, Laughing Squid, June. 2009,
<http://laughingsquid.com/todd-schorr-american-surreal-exhibition-at-san-jose-museum-of-art-
new-book-by-last-gasp/>
87. Todd Schorr, Secret Mystic Rites- The A rt o f Todd Schorr, San Francisco: Last Gasp Publishing,
1998 . 7 .
88. auth or unknown, About the Artists: Todd Schorr, Political Analysis, 2006,
<http://political-analysis.org/artists/id8.htm l
89. Todd Schorr, Secret Mystic Rites- The A rt o f Todd Schorr, San Francisco: Last Gasp Publishing,
1998.7.
90. Scott Beale,Todd Schorr: American Surreal Exhibition, Laughing Squid, June. 2009,
<http://laughingsquid.com/todd-schorr-american-surreal-exhibition-at-san-jose-museum-of-art-
new-book-by-last-gasp/>
91. author unknown, About the Artists: Todd Schorr, Political Analysis, 2006,
<http://political-analysis.org/artists/id8.htm l>
92. author unknown, Todd Schorr, Graphic Classics, year unknown,
<http://www .graphicclassics.com /pgs/schorr.htm >
93. Annie Owens and A ttabo y, Under the Counter Culture Vol.12 HI FRUCTOSE, Richmond California:

100
 HF Headquarters, 2009, 70-83.
94. Ben Marks, Todd Schorr: American Surreal, KQED Arts, July 28 2009,
< http://www.kqed.org/arts/visualarts/article.jsp?essid=25o69
93. Annie Owens and A ttaboy, Under the Counter Culture Vol.12 HI FRUCTOSE, Richmond California:
HF Headquarters, 2009, 70-83.
96. Ibid, 80.
97. Ibid.
98. Ibid, 83.
99. Helen Garber, The A rt o f Elizabeth M cgrath, <http://w w w .elizab eth m cg rath .co m /b io .p h p >
100. Sherri Cullison, Vicious, Delicious and ambitious: 20th century woman artists, Atglen,PA: Schiffer
Piblishing, 2002,141-143.
101. auth o r unknown, Psadena California Painter Alex Gross, Artist A Day, 2008,
<h ttp://w w w .artistaday.com /?p=i334>
102. Scott M usgrove, Scott Musgrove: The Late Fauna o f Early North America, 2009,
<http://scottm usgrove.blogspot.com />
103. Binbros W orkshop8i Basheer Graphic Books, The Garden o f Eye Candy, CA: Gingko Press, 2009,
92.

101
B ib l o g r a p h y

A aron Rose and Christian Strike, Beautiful
Losers: C ontem porary A rt and S treet Culture,
San Francisco: Iconoclast and D.A.P., 2 0 0 8 ,
A nnie O w en s and A ttab o y, HI FRUCTOSE
Collected Edition Volume. 1, San Francisco:
LAST GASP, San Francisco, 2 0 0 8 .
A nnie O w ens and A tta b o y , HI FRUCTOSE
V o.11, O uchFactory Yum Club, 2 0 0 9 .
Billy Shire, Colin Berry, SHAC : th e a rt o f
Josh Agle, San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
2 0 0 6.
Binbros W o rk s h o p ^ Basheer Graphic
Books, The G arden o f Eye Candy, Gingko
Press, 2 0 0 9 .
Cam ille Rose Garcia, Doug Harvey, Tragic
kingdom: th e a rt o f Camille Rose Carcia, San
Francisco: Last Gasp, 2007.
Douglas Nason, Shag Finge A rt Lim ited
Editions, San Francisco: Last Gasp, 2 0 06.
Gary Panter, Dan N adel, H eleneSilverm an,
Gary Panter, California: PictureBox, 2 008.
Josh Agle, SH A G : A rt o f Josh Agle, San
Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2 0 0 6 .
Anim a M undi, San Francisco: Last
Gasp, 2001.
M a rk Ryden, W esley Jessup, D ebra, J,
W ondertoonel: paintings by M ark Ryden,
Seattle: Frye A rt M useum , 2 0 0 4 .
M a rk Ryden, The Tree Show, N e w York:
PORTERHOUSE Fine A rt Publishers, 2 0 0 8 .
M a tt Dukes Jordan, The W ild W orld o f Pop
Surrealism and Low brow A rt, San Francisco,
California : Chronicle Books, 2005.
R. Rock Enterprises,JUXTAPOZ Illustration,
Californa: Gingko Press, 2 0 08.
R obert W illiam s, Views From A Tortured
Libido, San Francisco: LAST GASP, 1993.
R obert W illiam s, M ike LaVella, Pete
Chapouris, The H ot Rod W orld o f R obert
W illiam , San Fracisco:M otorbooks, 2 0 0 6 .
R ob ert W illiam s, G ilbert Shelton, Hysteria
in Remission: Comix & Drawings, California:
Fantagraphics Books, 2009.
Sherri Cullison, Vicious, Delicious and
am bitious: 20th century w om an artists,
A tglen,P A : Schiffer Piblishing, 2002.

Kirsten A nderson, Pop Surrealism: The Rise Todd Schorr, Secret Mystic Rites- The A rt o f
of U nderground A rt, San Francisco Todd Schorr, San Francisco: Last Gasp
California: Ignitio Publishing, 2 0 0 4 . Publishing, 1998.

M a rk Ryden, M a rk Ryden: Bunnies& Bees, Todd Schorr, American Surreal: The A rt o f

N ew Y ork: P orterhouse Fine Editions, 2 0 09. Todd Schorr, San Francisco: Last Gasp,
2 0 09.
M a rk Ryden, The A rt o f M ark Ryden:

102
R o b ert W illiam s <http://beinart.org/info/essays/robert-
williams.php>
http://www.robtvvilliam sstudio.com /
Gary Panter
David Jay, w ith Robert Williams, Psychedelic
http://www.garypanter.com/site/
A rt,<h ttp://w w w .m avericksofthem ind.com /rw il
Glenn Barr
l.h tm >
http://www.glbarr.com/
M a rk Ryden
h ttp ://w w w .m a rk ry d e n .c o m / Chapter 2

Todd Schorr F eat ur ed A r t i s t s o f L o w b r o w A r t

http://www.toddschorr.com /
Joei Priddy, Jimbo in Purgatory by Gary Panter,
Josh Agle
http://www.shag.com/ NACAE,

Elizabeth M cg rath <http://w w w .teachingcom ics.org/index.php 7op

http://www.elizabethm cgrath.com / tion=com _>

A lex Gross
http://www.alexgross.com/ Gary Panter, Comic Creator: Gary Panter,
N icolletta Ceccoli LAMBIEK.NET,
http://www.nicolettaceccoli.com/ <http ://lam b iek.n et/artists/p /p an ter.h tm >
Scott M u sg ro ve
http://www.scottm usgrove.com/ Gary Panter, HAMMER Lectures,
The Pizz <http://ham m er.ucla.edu/program s/detaii/prog
http://www.thepizz.com / ram _id/364>

Chapter 3
F ea t ur ed A r t i st s o f Pop Surreal ism

Chapter 1 Lucinda Knapp, SHAG, Flavorpill,

Pop S urreal ism I nf l ue nc es and H ist or y <http://flavorpill.com /losangeles/events/2009/11
/2i/shag-josh-agle>
James, Seattelest In te rv ie w : Kirsten Anderson,
founder and owner o f Roq La Rue Gallery,
Dave W einstein, Eichler Network: SHAG’ World,
<http://seattlest.com /2005/11/02/seattlest_inter
Eichler CA M odern,
view _kirsten_anderson_founder_and_ow ner_
<http ://w w w .eich lern etw o rk.com /fo f_sh ag .h t
° f _ r°q _ l a_ru e_ga 11e ry. p h p >
ml>

Balhatain,“ W hat is PopSurrealism?JJPaintali

M ark Frauenfelder, M ark Ryden’s The Tree Show
cous,<http://paintalicious.org/2007/11/19/what-
A rt, BingBoing,
is-pop-surrealism/>
http://boingboing.net/2009/02/01/m ark-rydens-
the-tree.h tm l
R obert Williams, Lowbrow A rt,
BeinArt International Surreal A rt Collective,

103
Autho r ’s B io g r a p h ic a l D ata

Nam e of Autho r

Seung Lim Kim

Place of B ir t h

Seoul, The Republic o f Korea

Da te of B ir t h

March 5th 1974

Graduate and U n d e r g r a d u a t e S c h o o l s At t e n d e d

Fashion Institute o f Technology, MA in Illustration 2010

School of Visual Arts, BFA in Illustration 2008
DuckSung W om an’s University, BFA in Graphic Design 1996

D e g r e e s Aw r a d e d

SELECTED fo r publication in CMYK Magazine #43, #46, 2010, 2009

SELECTED fo r publication in Creative Quarterly Magazine #14, #17, 2010, 2009
Chosen to appear on American Illustration 28, 29 TRIBUTE Gallery, 2010, 2009
SELECTED fo r COVER o f “ SVA Portfolio 29” 2008

P r o f e s s io n a l E x p e r ie n c e

A rt teacher, Gwangmyung-buk Elementary School, 2004-2006

Illustrator and Designer, M orning Glory Company, 1996-1998

104