Paul McCarthy, Dreaming, 2005, Painted silicone, t-shirt, artificial hair, plastic, styrofoam, garden chair, 180 x 62 x 71 cm. All images via Fondazione Nicola Trussardi.
Fondazione Nicola Trussardi has invited artist Paul McCarthy to exhibit in Palazzo Citterio, an extraordinary space that has been closed to the public for over 25 years. The building was originally conceived to house the extension of the Pinacoteca di Brera, and is the property of the Italian government. This show presents viewers with an opportunity to view McCarthy’s work in a unique architectural setting, and also marks the premier of Pig Island, a piece which McCarthy has been working on since 2003. Over a long and distinguished career, McCarthy has created his own satirical language of fairy tales and nightmares that challenge social conventions, and test the emotional limits of the viewer. As the press release tactfully explains, “McCarthy’s videos, performances, installations and sculptures transport visitors to a universe that combines Hollywood glamour with the dark side of the American dream.”
More text and images after the jump…
Paul McCarthy, Pig Island, 2003-2010, Mixed media, 11 x 10 x 6 m
Paul McCarthy, Static (Pink), 2004-2009, Silicone, stainless steel, 271 x 164 x 324 cm
For this special exhibition with Fondazione Nicola Trussardi–his first solo show at an Italian institution–McCarthy unveils Pig Island, a massive sculptural installation that has been growing in the artist’s studio over the past seven years to fill over 100 square meters. Full of themes and characters that continually pop up in McCarthy’s work, Pig Island represents a treasure trove of amusement and horror; a world where humans behave like pigs and reveal their innermost glutenous human nature. In addition to this monumental work, a selection of McCarthy’s sculptures, installations, and video installations from 1970 to 2010 are also on view.
Paul McCarthy, Ketchup Sandwich, 1970, Glass, ketchup, Heinz ketchup bottles, 76 x 76 x 76 cm
Paul McCarthy, Daddies Tomato Ketchup Inflatable, 2001, Nylon fabric, fans, equipment, 15 x 4 x 4 m
Paul McCarthy lives and works in Los Angeles, California. From 1982 to 2002 he taught performance, video, installation, and performance art history at the University of California, Los Angeles. During his career he has exhibited at many prestigious museums, including MOCA (2000), Tate Modern (2003), and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York (2008). McCarthy has also taken part in the Venice Biennale (2001, 1999, 1995 & 1993), the Whitney Biennial (2004, 1997 & 1995), the Berlin Biennale (2006), the Santa Fe Biennial (2004), the Lyon Biennale (2003) and the Biennale of Sydney (2010 & 2000).
Paul McCarthy, Pirate Party, 2005, 4 channels video installation, 92’00”
Paul McCarthy, Paula Jones, 2010, Silicone, aluminum, wood, latex, polyurethane, 170 x 122 x 244 cm
Paul McCarthy, Chair with Butt Plug, 1978, Wooden chair, Doc Johnson butt plug, bolts, 89 x 46 x 43 cm
Related Links:
Exhibition Page [Fondazione Nicola Trussardi]
Art 21 [PBS]
Hauser & Wirth [Artist Page]
