Monday, October 10, 2005

Pettibon in the NY Times

The New York Times had a very long article about Raymond Pettibon in its Sunday section yesterday. The article includes a short overview of Pettibon's career and a narrated visit to his environs in the LA suburbs. The theme of the article is the unaddressed link between the artist's misanthropy and awkwardness, and his current success; which is raised by the article, but is an issue that remains unanswered. I agree with the article that Pettibon's ultimate place is as Americana, like Warhol, et al. I consider Pettibon to be a champion of drawing as an independent art.
"His repertory of atomic explosions, hippies, vixens, cowboys, dismembered bodies, old cars and liquor bottles describes a morning-after portrait of America in extremis. The affect is world-weary but slyly comic... [I]f he often repeats himself now, you could say he has an eye for monotony and abundance, an American trait."

Link via the NY Times website.

2 comments:

Don J. said...

I feel like Raymond is my friend now! Look at the cute outsider artist!
Is it just me or is she being a bit patronizing . . .

Pete said...
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