Have only two artists gone from professional comics to museum recognition?
William Palmer
professional careers as cartoonists and have
also been recognized by top museums for
their art are Lyonel Feininger and Robert
Williams.
In 1906 Lyonel Feininger was doing a newspaper
strip called "Wee Willie Winkie's World."
As many readers no doubt already know,
Feininger also did "The-Kin-Der-Kids" at
approximately the same period. Both strips
appeared in Chicago newspapers and elsewhere.
Historians have speculated that had not
the "Kin-Der-Kids" comic strip abruptly ended
after seven months due a dispute between the
artist and his employer, Feininger might never
have made the transition from cartoonist
to world-famous painter.
Robert Williams' career has followed a
very different path. He achieved a
certain amount of fame during the
hippie era with his popular work in
the underground ZAP comics. Later,
he began to achieve major critical
recognition for his painting, and he
has now exhibited in major museums,
including the Museum of Contemporary
Art in Los Angeles. (He also publishes
the advant-garde JUXTAPOSE art magazine.)
Does anyone know any other major artists
who have had a professional career as
comic artists? I don't count the
fact that some fairly major galleries
have exhibited Disney stuff. I am
referring only to those who have had
major recognition as fine artists and who
have also had paying careers in comics.
a.g.b-p
rfxN
> Does anyone know any other major artists
> who have had a professional career as
> comic artists?
Dave McKean didn't start exactly as a comic artist, but has made some
marvelous collaboration with, for instance, Neil Gaiman (Violent Cases,
Black Orchid, Signal to Noise).
http://www.mckean-art.co.uk/
http://www.dreamline.nu/
--
/rfxN
Mani Deli
Palmer) wrote:
>Robert Williams' career has followed a
>very different path. He achieved a
>certain amount of fame during the
>hippie era with his popular work in
>the underground ZAP comics. Later,
>he began to achieve major critical
>recognition for his painting, and he
>has now exhibited in major museums,
>including the Museum of Contemporary
>Art in Los Angeles. (He also publishes
>the advant-garde JUXTAPOSE art magazine.)
>
Juxtapose is one of the few anti-establishment magazines that doesn't
print standard Modern Academic Bullshit and is writen in clear
English.
...no skill no art!
Want to get away from the indecipherable imbecilities and absurd pretensions of the modern art establishment?
Check out my web page http://www3.sympatico.ca/manideli/
Erik A. Mattila
> Does anyone know any other major artists
> who have had a professional career as
> comic artists? I don't count the
> fact that some fairly major galleries
> have exhibited Disney stuff. I am
> referring only to those who have had
> major recognition as fine artists and who
> have also had paying careers in comics.
>
>
> a.g.b-p
wayne Thiebaud worked at Disney stutios for a few years as an artist,
and I'm sure there were others.
Erik
Tina Mammoser
His photography is in several high-profile galleries, although most seem
to be in the US if you do a web search. Even though his studio is in Kent
(England) a mere stone's throw from me I had to buy from a gallery in
Boston to have one of his photographs. Wonderful stuff. Museums is
another level though (and not one that all artists aspire to, mind you).
Tina.
rfxN wrote:
--
********************
--Colorist expressionist contemporary
landscapes direct from the artist!--
HTTP://WWW.TINA-M.COM
mailto:ti...@tina-m.com
-----Limited editions and original prints
from London artists!-----
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mailto:ti...@brightnewart.com
********************
Richard
I'd much rather have commercial success than have museum recognition.
However, it'd be nice to have my paintings shown in a fine classical
museum like the Getty Center. I'd like to see my art some day go into
coffee table books, trading cards, posters, and other merchandise just
like some of the artists I admire now.
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Bernt Oker
willia...@prodigy.net says...
>Does anyone know any other major artists
>who have had a professional career as
>comic artists?
They are out there.
Here is just ONE of many web sites that
features our current comic geniuses:
http://www.fantagraphics.com/artist/acme/acme.html
You'll find references to Chris Ware's peers
on this site - a long list of comic artist
names, some of whom surely fit your description.
William Palmer
I certainly find Thiebaud's art fascinating.
One basic difference, regarding the artists
I mentioned, is that both of them were actually
famous as professional comic artists. Feininger
was very popular early in the 20th century among
many Sunday paper readers, especially for his
"Kin-Der-Kids." Williams, of course, was known
to a great many long-haired, bell-bottomed youth
of the 1960's as one of the most mind-boggling ZAP
artists. I doubt if anyone was aware of Thiebaud
the Comic Artist outside his employers and fellow
workers. Even so, you have a point. Thanks for
your input. a.g.b-p
>
> Erik
Erik A. Mattila
No, Wayne taught painting for several years, both at Sacramento City
College and UC Davis. He was quite proud of his work for Disney, and
talked about it much. So there are thousand of his ex-students out
there who know. He also admires comic strip artists very much. He is
(was) a good friend and admirer of George Harriman (Krazy Kat), for
example. He told me once about other artists who worked at Disney, but
I just can't seem to remember any names. But I do remember being
surprised.
But I can add to your list...Victor Moscoso, who also published in ZAP.
Even in the ZAP days, Victor was teaching painting at SF Art
Institute. I think he has a web page..
http://www.victormoscoso.com/
Looks like he's changed it a bit since the last time I visited - he's
now publishing his old rock posters. A year ago he had several of his
"fine art" works on the site. But he's regularly represented in SF
galleries, and SF Moma has his work in their collection. Here's a litho
of his on the SF Fine Arts site:
I worked in the Underground Comix industry in SF as a printer and
stripper, and there were plenty of fine art references to the various
artists. Except Dan O'Neill - he hates the concept of "artist." But
Spain Rodriguez regularly peppered his comix art with art history
references - I think one story was about the "Venus of Wallendorf" as
matter of fact.
I would also mention Rick Griffin, who died in a motocycle crash in
1991. Rick was acknowledged as "the master" or "the artist's artist" by
much of the Underground Comix crowd. The influence he had on others is
obvious if you compare the works. Personally, I think Rick often
blurred the distinctions between pop-culture art and fine art, so it's
not surprising that his drawings are selling in art galleries today.
While at Chinouard's in LA he was told by his instructor "You can't make
fine art with a rapidograph!" but fortunately, he didn't believe him.
Erik
>
>
>>Erik
>
Andrew Werby
cartooning career, that fit in with the ideas the museums had about what
constitutes fine art. These are not static criteria, though, and have been
changing rapidly of late. I don't see any reason why cartoonists won't in
future be honored in museums for their cartoon art itself. In San Francisco
there is a Cartoon Art Museum which is doing this already. See
http://www.cartoonart.org/ . There's always a time lag, but ultimately what
is remembered are the most popular, not the "highest" art forms of a given
period.]
Andrew Werby
www.unitedartworks.com
"William Palmer" <willia...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:cbc76035.02110...@posting.google.com...
Bernt Oker
says...
>
>[The artists you mention are honored for art they did after ending their
>cartooning career, that fit in with the ideas the museums had about what
>constitutes fine art.
I think the preeminent example has to be
the "cartoon" imagery of Roy Lichtenstein.
Ever heard of him? And those who are of
the same school or have chosen to emulate
his work. While I don't know if Lichtenstein
ever considered himself a cartoonist, per
se, he certainly took cartoon imagery to
another level.
Andy Dingley
>I think the preeminent example has to be
>the "cartoon" imagery of Roy Lichtenstein.
Lichtenstein didn't use narrative though, preferring instead to
extract just the style of comic book art. Good painter, but not a
cartoonist.
William Palmer
Well, I was talking about people who had already
achieved some fame as a comic artist and then
went on to succeed in fine art to the extent that
they have now exhibited in major museums. As
far as I was aware, Lichtenstein's career and
recognition has been in fine art. It is just
that he is a artist who was heavily
influenced by cartoon illustration. a.g.b-p.
Erik A. Mattila
Excellent point, Andy.
Erik
Sharr Truce
willia...@prodigy.net says...
>> >[The artists you mention are honored for art they did after ending their
>> >cartooning career, that fit in with the ideas the museums had about what
>> >constitutes fine art.
>>
>> I think the preeminent example has to be
>> the "cartoon" imagery of Roy Lichtenstein.
>Well, I was talking about people who had already
>achieved some fame as a comic artist and then
>went on to succeed in fine art to the extent that
>they have now exhibited in major museums.
Sory, I should have qualified my response by
NOT quoting all you said. My reply was intended
to address the issue of "ideas the museums had
about what constitutes fine art." Lichtenstein,
as far as I know, broke the mold in that regard
with his gigantic paintings using traditional
comic book and other printed-media parodies (or
whatever you want to call them).