Printed in conjunction with the exhibition “Are your motives pure?” at Venus Over Manhattan, this 102-page catalog is an action packed adventure filled with Raymond Pettibon’s comic-style big wave surfing and beachside culture artwork. Not actually a surfer himself, Pettibon’s imagery does not attempt to represent a real surfing scene or want to be classified as ‘surfer art,” but rather as Venus Over Manhattan puts it, “Pettibon is elevating the surfer to the top of his repertory of American icons, tracing the figure’s arc through the terrifying and chaotic ocean of life in a manner perhaps more evocative of Edward Hopper than The Endless Summer.” For most of the catalog, the work depicts a chaotic and turbulent ocean swell accompanied with Pettibon’s poetic text, but occasionally an image from the shore will appear to break the movement of riders crossing waves. Beginning this type of work back in 1987 after the artist had already become known for his iconic imagery associated with the punk rock scene, Pettibon continued over the years using various mediums to create a dynamic and eclectic body of work that is brought together in “Are you motives pure?” With texts from Adam Lindemann and Carlo McCormick, this publication is worthy addition to any bookshelf.
Pick up a copy over at Venus Over Manhattan
