Philip Guston was the artist who changed the game. His 'conversion' from Abstract Expressionism was one that alerted the art world to the possibilities of a post comic book reality. His images of giant boots or Klu Klux Clan members were drawings with a lineage that went back to “Krazy Kat” and were a celebration of that fact and not a critique, these drawings might look like those of a Neanderthal, but they are actually a sophisticated method acting.
Images above Philip Guston
Images above Martin Kippenberger
Mike Kelly was a member of the band, 'Destroy all Monsters' and perhaps his most iconic work was made in 1999, a video in which Superman recites selections from Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. The comic book hero taking away Sylvia Plath's voice and replacing it with the familiar tones of comic heroism. Kelly's drawings, (below) reflect a similar sensibility. His style coming as much from S. Clay Wilson and Zap comics as the work of Basil Wolverton for MAD. Look out for a future post on Wolverton and other comic book heroes of mine, I strongly believe that their work is central to the development of our current cultural imagination.
Images above Mike Kelly
Raymond Pettibon began his career by producing illustrations for the punk band Black Flag, he was the bass player. He makes work that reflects his responses to a wide spectrum of American culture from art to literature, sport, religion, politics, surfers, baseball players, homicidal teenage punks and Elvis. Pettibon also takes quotes from literature and writes them alongside his cartoon influenced images. He cites political editorial cartoons as his influence alongside Blake and Goya. He sometimes publishes his drawings as limited-edition photocopied booklets very like zines and also draws on the walls of galleries, hanging his framed drawings amongst the images he has made directly on the gallery walls.
Images above Raymond Pettibon
It's hard to escape your childhood. As culture moves on what was current in your growing years can from a distance appear strange and exotic, however because it was at one time familiar it still has resonance, not just for yourself but for others of the same generation. I went to a talk by Thomas Houseago last year, (another ex-student) and he cited Sesame Street characters as being a key influence on his development as a sculptor. What is perhaps most interesting about these artists though is that although they reference comic art modes, their subject matter is very adult. Sex, violence and political comment are always present, the dark underbelly of life recorded using a language that was first encountered in childhood. Maybe this is the language that kids us into engaging with things we don't normally touch. It's edgy and therefore bound to be interesting.
See also:
The Beano and Viz Hardeep Pandhal
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