New York–based painter Peter Saul (born 1934) has consistently challenged the conventions of art, history and politics with his radical, unrefined style. Positioned emphatically outside of the canon of pop art, Saul’s exuberantly grotesque works exhibit an ironic and caustic humor that simultaneously breaks down and celebrates his subjects. Influenced by both French academic painting and MAD magazine, he has become a profound, albeit unconventional, history painter, chronicling the ridiculous and terrible at the top from Reagan to Trump.
This catalog covers the artist’s oeuvre since the late 1950s and presents many previously unseen paintings, works on paper and archival materials.
Saul was elected to the American Academy of Art and Letters in 2010. His work is part of many major collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Moderna Museet in Stockholm and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
"Businessman #6" (1963) is reproduced from 'Peter Saul: Pop, Funk, Bad Painting and More.'
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
New York Times
Holland Cotter
Through a long career he has used offensiveness as a form of resistance — political, personal — and just by doing so given everyone permission to do the same.
"Little Joe in Hanoi" (1968) is reproduced from Peter Saul: Pop, Funk, Bad Painting and More, recommended reading for anyone who can't get enough of Peter Saul: Crime and Punishment, on view at the New Museum through May 31. "Concerning 'art,'" Saul writes, "it still makes me laugh that anyone ever believed in any idea of it. I actually have always considered all hand-painted pictures about equal. If there’s a difference between them, it’s that some are carried through more confidently than others. It’s just so-called 'intelligent and educated' opinion that separates the good from the bad. And I hope I’m still bad, at least most of the time, because it’s more unusual and fun to look at." continue to blog
FORMAT: Hbk, 8.5 x 10.5 in. / 176 pgs / 120 color. LIST PRICE: U.S. $44.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $62 ISBN: 9783775745734 PUBLISHER: Hatje Cantz AVAILABLE: 11/26/2019 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of stock indefinitely AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA LA
Published by Hatje Cantz. Text by Annabelle Ténèze, John Yau.
New York–based painter Peter Saul (born 1934) has consistently challenged the conventions of art, history and politics with his radical, unrefined style. Positioned emphatically outside of the canon of pop art, Saul’s exuberantly grotesque works exhibit an ironic and caustic humor that simultaneously breaks down and celebrates his subjects. Influenced by both French academic painting and MAD magazine, he has become a profound, albeit unconventional, history painter, chronicling the ridiculous and terrible at the top from Reagan to Trump.
This catalog covers the artist’s oeuvre since the late 1950s and presents many previously unseen paintings, works on paper and archival materials.
Saul was elected to the American Academy of Art and Letters in 2010. His work is part of many major collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Moderna Museet in Stockholm and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
