Exhibition
Robert Crumb - Scream Gallery
Drawings by the underground, counter-culture artist, ROBERT CRUMB UNCOVERED
27th of October 2009
Robert Crumb, otherwise known as R. Crumb, is one of the leading figures of the 1966/ 67 underground comic movement. Philadelphia-born Crumb exploded onto the scene in the late 60's, heralding a renaissance of underground sex and drug comics. His LSD-inspired characters Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural quickly established him as a counter-culture icon.
Encouraged to create comic books as a child by his artistic brother Charles, Robert soon surpassed his sibling, and what was a form of escapism from a childhood spent in a dysfunctional family ruled by an abusive Father and neurotic Mother, translated into a lifelong career that has culminated, at the age of 66, in critical recognition for his work not just as a comic book creator, but an acutely observational fine artist in the vein of Guston or Goya. Crumb's material is often inspired by the absurdity of humanity. His drawings are exhibited in blue-chip galleries and museums all over the world. He has published in countless comics, books, and magazines, and has in recent years been recognized by the broader art world with numerous exhibitions, including; R. Crumb's Underground at the ICA in Philadelphia in 2008; a retrospective at the Ludwig Museum, Cologne in 2004; and a focus in the 2004 Carnegie International, Pittsburgh.
"I think Crumb is the Bruegel of the last half of the 20th Century...he gives you that tremendous lusting, suffering, crazed humanity." Robert Hughes
