Peter Saul travels to Paris to present "the bad side of America," continuing to pervert pop and classical culture while tapping into the social and political sphere. Art History is Wrong is on view at Almine Rech through February 29, 2020.
Back in the 1950s, "Saul developed a crossover of pop art, surrealism, abstract expressionism, Chicago imagism, San Francisco funk, and cartoon culture in a language all his own." Brandishing his brush to fashion speckled surfaces of vibrant colors, Saul's imagery flips from funny to provocative, towards surreal and psychedelic.
Applying the aesthetic and narrative-building technique of comic books and cartoons, as well as familiar Cubist concepts, for example, Saul addresses issues of politics, religion, consumer culture, gun regulations and group conformity through not-so-innocent, playful visuals. Everything from a toasted sandwich, a chainsaw, dice or a shark with a Trump-like hair serves as an identifiable metaphor for presenting big topics
That dabbing brushwork literally elevates the images as the San Francisco-based artist injects depth and perspective into his exciting works. At the same time, Saul accents the eccentricity and dynamism of his visual language through the use of bright, vibrant hues throughout his paintings. Diligently mining cultural and socio-political events, Saul's work energetically pushes the limitations and expectations of contemporary painting, continuously setting a new course for younger contemporaries along the way. –Sasha Bogojev
All photos © Peter Saul - Photo credit: Rebecca Fanuele
Courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech
