Raymond Pettibon
15 Mar - 26 Apr 2008
Raymond Pettibon
no title, 2008
15 March - 26 April 2008
Contemporary Fine Arts is pleased to announce a solo exhibition by the American artist Raymond Pettibon.
It is already Pettibon’s sixth solo exhibition with Contemporary Fine Arts.
In the late 1970s, Raymond Pettibon originally became known with the punk band Black Flag and the record label SST Records. On the one hand, he was the bass player in the band which his brother co-founded, on the other hand he designed their record covers, concert fliers, and fanzines. He became so successful in this field that he soon designed record covers for other punk bands as well. He quickly developed a distinctive style in his drawings. Today, Raymond Pettibon is one of the internationally best-known American artists. His work is represented in the most renowned collections and museums throughout the world.
In his drawings reminiscent of comic strips, he addresses a wide variety of art historical aspects. But film, sports, and sexuality are also subjects that have engaged and inspired him. In recent years, his thematic focus has increasingly shifted to current politics such as US foreign policy or the war in Iraq.
Pettibon consciously chose the strong association with comic strip drawings that is so typical of his work. His work oscillates between visual representation and textual elements. But in contrast to comic strips, every drawing stands alone and need not be read as a succession of different drawings in order to be understood. Furthermore, his texts do not play an explanatory role, but instead are usually rather confusing, ironic, and even ambiguous.
Even though a variety of themes are taken up, certain figures dominate his work: surfers, baseball players, trains, Gumby (an American animated movie figure made of play dough) Superman, and Charles Manson all frequently appear in his drawings. Pettibon also often incorporates texts into his works which he either writes himself or borrows from writers like Marcel Proust, William Faulkner, Henry James, Gustave Flaubert, or even the Bible.
Pettibon uses mainly ink; many of his drawings are monochromatic. Sometimes he adds colour with pencils and watercolours. In addition to his works on paper, Pettibon experiments with video art and drama. Regardless of which art form he uses, his works are always emotionally and intellectually provocative.
In addition to 50 new works by Raymond Pettibon, Contemporary Fine Arts is also showing a wall painting by the artist.
no title, 2008
15 March - 26 April 2008
Contemporary Fine Arts is pleased to announce a solo exhibition by the American artist Raymond Pettibon.
It is already Pettibon’s sixth solo exhibition with Contemporary Fine Arts.
In the late 1970s, Raymond Pettibon originally became known with the punk band Black Flag and the record label SST Records. On the one hand, he was the bass player in the band which his brother co-founded, on the other hand he designed their record covers, concert fliers, and fanzines. He became so successful in this field that he soon designed record covers for other punk bands as well. He quickly developed a distinctive style in his drawings. Today, Raymond Pettibon is one of the internationally best-known American artists. His work is represented in the most renowned collections and museums throughout the world.
In his drawings reminiscent of comic strips, he addresses a wide variety of art historical aspects. But film, sports, and sexuality are also subjects that have engaged and inspired him. In recent years, his thematic focus has increasingly shifted to current politics such as US foreign policy or the war in Iraq.
Pettibon consciously chose the strong association with comic strip drawings that is so typical of his work. His work oscillates between visual representation and textual elements. But in contrast to comic strips, every drawing stands alone and need not be read as a succession of different drawings in order to be understood. Furthermore, his texts do not play an explanatory role, but instead are usually rather confusing, ironic, and even ambiguous.
Even though a variety of themes are taken up, certain figures dominate his work: surfers, baseball players, trains, Gumby (an American animated movie figure made of play dough) Superman, and Charles Manson all frequently appear in his drawings. Pettibon also often incorporates texts into his works which he either writes himself or borrows from writers like Marcel Proust, William Faulkner, Henry James, Gustave Flaubert, or even the Bible.
Pettibon uses mainly ink; many of his drawings are monochromatic. Sometimes he adds colour with pencils and watercolours. In addition to his works on paper, Pettibon experiments with video art and drama. Regardless of which art form he uses, his works are always emotionally and intellectually provocative.
In addition to 50 new works by Raymond Pettibon, Contemporary Fine Arts is also showing a wall painting by the artist.