George Condo Concord, MA, USA, b. 1957
(12 panels)
Further images
Crazy Cat Combination, created between 1989 and 1990, is a vibrant and playful homage to the American cartoonist George Herriman, best known for his comic strip Krazy Kat. This monumental composition brings together nine works originally conceived as individual paintings, which Condo then assembled in a manner reminiscent of classic comic book pages.
In line with his earlier series of ‘fake Old Masters’ from the early 1980s, each segment of Crazy Cat Combination is infused with allusions to various artistic styles and iconic figures, including Velázquez, Rembrandt, and Picasso. As both collector and admirer of these diverse artistic languages, Condo borrows from their stylistic signatures, adopting recognizable palettes and techniques while distorting them through his own distinctive lens.
Merging the grandeur of European traditions with the irreverence of American pop culture, Condo fearlessly blends cultural codes and values across time periods and territories. The result is a dynamic and witty tapestry that encapsulates art history’s evolution, navigating the boundaries between high art and popular imagery, with a touch of humor that reflects his irreverent approach to tradition.
Exhibitions
George Condo, Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris, Apr 20–May 26, 1990.
Large-scale works by gallery artists, The Pace Gallery, 142 Greene Street, New York, Jul 16-Aug 31, 1990.
'George Condo: Recent Paintings', The Pace Gallery, 32 East 57 Street, New York, Apr 19–May 24, 1991.
'I Am the Enunciator', Thread Waxing Space, New York, Jan 9–Feb 20, 1993.
George Condo, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, Dece 3, 1994–Jan 15, 1995.
'George Condo: Mental States'. New Museum, New York (Jan 26–May 8, 2011); Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam (Jun 25–Sep 25, 2011); Hayward Gallery, London (Oct 18, 2011–Jan 15, 2012); Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt (Feb 23–May 28, 2012).
Publications
George Condo. Text by Felix Guattari. Paris: Galerie Daniel Templon, 1990. pp. 25, 53.
George Condo. Art Random, Kyoto Shoin International, Co., Ltd., Kyoto, 1991, pp. 23, 30-31, 39 (details)
'George Condo: Recent Paintings'. Text by Wilfried Dickhoff. New York: The Pace Gallery, 1991: plate 7, illustrated.
'I Am the Enunciator'. Text by Christian Leigh. New York: Thread Waxing Space, 1993
The Imaginary portraits of George Condo. powerhouse Books, 2002. pp. 54, 62
'George Condo: Mental States' (exhibition catalogue), 2011. Hayward Publishing, p. 163
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