I first encountered the work created by Robert Williams in hot rod magazines which featured ads for T-shirts and other items by Ed Roth. I also remember the art of Spain Rodriguez and the 1960s outlaw motorcycle art of David Mann. The art of Peter Max, The Fool, and Rick Griffin were some of my favorite eye candies back in the 1960s. Moreover, Victor Moscoso's blue and orange imagery provided the definitive aspect of 1960s Psychedelia. Thanks, Frank Curkovic.
This is such a good video! I was recently introduced to pop surrealism and as an artist myself I find it incredibly inspiring and fascinating. This really gave me a great idea of the background behind it! Thanks for being awesome!! 😁
Thanks for the comment. I will check them out. The focus was more on how lowbrow art led to Pop Surrealism, but I feel a bit guilty now for leaving out Coop!
As a kid growing up in the Midwest my exposure lowbrow and pop surrealism was through a subscription to Juxtapoz. I fell in love with the strange and grotesque imagery but marveled at how incredibly technical the art was too. It shaped my whole style as a future artist myself.
Juxtapoz was my main introduction as well, apart from a vinyl compilation record my dad had that had Rat Fink-like character on the cover. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful and very informative short video, Frank. I really love this artistic movement so much. Thanks for allowing me to see its origins, and the fantastically inspired pioneers of the movement. I wish you rainbows.
Todd schore Victor castillo Alex Grew Anthony auscin Marion Peck Haoti Natori Mark Ryten Camille Rose Garcia Tara Mcphirsen Joe Cole Jeff Soto Ron English JOSH Agel Gary Bassen Barry Miggy Tim Biscot Aurorey Makasaki
Honestly, I would compare pop surrealism with the devil trying to draw cartoons. Most artworks done by these artists are just _wrong_ and feel vulgar and just not cool. They don't pass the vibe check. Take Mark Ryden for example, who consistently paints literal naked children in his paintings. Nobody ever talks about that ever or criticizes it. Pop surrealism is perverted, misguided, and low moral, and it's a shame, because as a cubist who uses expressionism, I see the charm that could've been being constantly tarnished by artists whose inappropriate fetishes manifested into their art.
Hmm...I'm not sure what the "vibe check" means and haven't really considered your thoughts before. I get, understand your views and opinions and welcome them. Why not? To each their own. However, the term low-brow did refer to fringe art, hence the title. One essay by Carlo McCormick has a quote that sums of Ryden pretty well: "Mark Ryden does not celebrate evil, even it's its most campy denatured form. Quite to the contrary, his art-making can be seen as an elaborate charade of avoidance towards life's grimmer realities. His is an utterly pure infantilistic escapism." (source: www.markryden.com/at-play-in-the-slaughterhouse-of-american-pop#:~:text=Mark%20Ryden%20does%20not%20celebrate,an%20utterly%20pure%20infantilistic%20escapism.) I do like your line "the devil trying to draw cartoons." Thanks for sharing your thoughts and taking the time to comment.
I hadn't heard of Hi-Fructose and just subscribed! I randomly came across a documentary of Robert Williams a few years ago and have been a huge fan of Juxtapose ever since. You did an excellent job of weaving together the styles and artists and presented it clearly. That's not easy.
Thanks for the comment. There is the whole Afro-Surrealist movement: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro-Surrealism#:~:text=Notable%20practitioners%20and%20inspirations%20of,Delany%2C%20and%20Romare%20Bearden.
@@FrankCurkovic I'm sure you have no malice in this comment but it comes across to me, as if there is no place is surrealism for black artists. That there would need to be a whole separate genre for them, when truly afro-surrealism expresses all that surrealism does but through a black lense and while highlighting black issues. Black people exist within surrealism, creating art without a focus on or reference to their race. It's a great video don't get me wrong, just a lil disheartening to think my art would never be featured in a video like this because it would be relegated to a totally different genre because I'm black.
@@apollyon3034 Gosh...not my intent at all. In my video, I only focused historically as was interested in the topic myself, without knowing too much about it at first. Do you have certain specific artists to share in case people read these comments or if I decide to make a follow up video?
@@FrankCurkovic sorry if I didn't explain myself well. I really meant more the comment (on afro-surrealism) than the video. I think you made an amazing video that doesn't need to be adjusted. I don't think you did anything wrong, I'm sure that none of your research lead you to any black artists without also relating the work to it's own sub genre. My favorite surrealist artist is David Alabo. While he does create afro-surrealism he doesn't plenty of non race-based art (depending on how you read it). I want to be clear that I think you made and excellent video and I don't think it was a reflection of your abilities that there was a lack of black artist and is more due to underrepresentation in media.
Could you pretty please do a 3 hours version of this beautiful video? I thought oil painting was so near to die for good...Thanks for proving me I was wrong. CHEERS From Mexico City !!!
thank you for making this video!! ive fallen in love with rat fink and roth's grotesque attention to detail, and im glad to have stumbled upon someone to talk about him!!! please make a video about him kustom culture if you, too, find it interesting. also, this reminds me a lot of spike n mike animation festivals. a lot of grotesque, surreal, satirical, and dark animations... which reminded me of this art form
I would say "classic cartoon style" or something like that. That seems to be the thing that connects them all. Edit:. I don't really think surrealism is too much different from 20th century cartoonism. IMO.
Great video. I would like to see a video focus more in depth on the work of each individual artist. Or maybe a few at a time that share similarities. I enjoyed this very much. Thanks
Thanks for the synthesis ,I now know I’m one of these Pop surrealist low brow artist. Your video scratched a metaphorical itch I didn’t know I had. Thanks
Thank you so much for this video! I found various paintings from Anthony Ausgang and Rober Williams in my Dads basement. Truly a unique style - very nice to have the background!
I like this video. I always look around for different artists online. I like all of this work. I'm also an artist, and I enjoy everything that's different. My music productions fall into the different category as well. Thank you for sharing your video.
You are very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. Initially, I myself wasn't a fan but it began growing on me, thus the video. Thanks again.
Yes...but I wanted to focus more on fine artists, rather than illustrators etc. Controversial statement, I know. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
This kind of art is well executed but doesn't keep my interest for some reason. I think I am tired of pop culture after binging on TV in the 80s and 90s and don't want to see references to it anymore. But I can't believe I never knew Robert Williams. That guy can draw, eh.
@@FrankCurkovic just busting balls, lol thanks for introducing me to new artists. Like I said GREAT VIDEO! Loved it. For sure you got your self a new subscriber
