Pop Surrealism: The Rise of Underground Art

by Kirsten Anderson (Editor)

With its origins in 1960's hot rod culture and underground comics, Pop Surrealism has evolved into a vilified, vital, and exciting art movement. Includes: - informative essays by art luminaries Robert Williams, Carlo McCormick, and Larry Reid- Foreword by Kirsten Anderson- images from twenty-three of the movment's top artists including: Anthony Ausgang, Kalynn Campbell, The Clayton Brothers, Camille Rose Garcia, Liz McGrath, Niagara, The Pizz, Shag, Robert Williams, and Eric White

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Photography, Art and Photography, History

156 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my kind of art, the low-brow kind. Tattoo's, hot rods, B-movie posters all that 50's stuff.

The book is fantastic, a few of the artists have written some pieces to explain the rise of this art movement.

You have some of the work by Robert Williams who has some of the best titles ever..." Allegations of fairy abuse on chicken hawk island". Then there is Mark Ryden who has an obsession with Nixon, real bizarre stuff. Finally my favourite Camille Rose Garcia whose art is stunning, I could spend hours looking at her stuff and finding new things each time.

A fantastic collection that has to been seen.

Blog Review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2019...

[Donald Armfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Eye-gasm from Last Gasp

Glenn Barr
Joe Coleman
Camille Rose Garcia
Alex Cross
Scott Musgrove
Marion Peck
Mark Ryden
Todd Schorr
Eric White

Get your eyes inside this book, Underground art at best

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These people are doing some really great things in the world of art.

[John Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the whole movement. Must have for all art students.

[Alise Vaivode · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts with 3 essays - the first one tells us about culture in America in 1950s/60s and how the whole art based on cartoons and popculture emerged and how society gained interest in it, the next two defines the whole art movement and the attitude of the artists that sort of belong to the movement. Then there is a selection of art works and artists, which shows the diversity and influence from horror, pop culture and the 1960s - 50s american pop culture and also a mixture of other cultures - it was really interesting to see how artists get influenced from different kinds of movements and techniques and ideologies and mix them up together, really helped for my school research

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Ryden, Shag, Tim Biskup, Camille Rose Garcia & Marion Peck since reading 'Juxtapoz' in the 90's and visiting La Luz de Jesus in LA, so this book brought me right back. One star added for Larry Reid's essay, 'Mid-Century Dementia and Bad Ass Low Brow', but one star lost for Carlo McCormick's description of the genre as 'uncivil, irascible, voyeuristic and narcissistic.' But he's probably spot on.

[Velveeta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pop Surrealism is a term coined by The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, in 1998. "Pop Surrealism" 1998, The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, ISBN 978-1888332087. Look it up here on goodreads. Somehow the term got swiped by the juxtapoz/hifructose crowd, and resulted in terrible books like this one. This book is about LOWBROW art. For more info read https://gallerymjb.blogspot.com/2021/...

[Timbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been interested in Pop surrealism (or garbage art, lowbrow art, mutant art, etc) for some years now. Anderson's introduction to the movement's origins and some of its main proponents satisfies in terms of theoretical framework and immediate predecessors. If I had the requisite talent to accompany my propensities in imagination, I would probably inhabit this movement with my own work.

[Alida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very illuminating as to what is going on in the real art scene, not the pretentious abstact-i've-seen-it-already-a-million-times-before and done by every wannabe artist that gets out of art school. these are what will be considered masterpieces in about 75 to 100 years from now. some are cute, some are disturbing, some are gross, some are clever, some are ugly, some are obtuse. but none are facile or shock you for shock's sake. they do what art is supposed to do - get a reaction and make you think.

[Zinc Masterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda like it so far....I will update after fully read. Seems to be trying to be too heady and arty...if those are words for a book. BUT the pictures are wonderful. I like the reader engagement of EDGYcute better so far! Its a good one tho.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good selection of some of the biggest names in LowBrow art today. I would have added and excluded a few, but overall, a nicely done book.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful full-color art plates.
Signed by Kristen and Shag hardbound copy.

[Kirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of my favourite artists are included in this fun coffee table collection. Good stuff!

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the work of Camille Rose Garcia and Alex Gross. Most of the others ventured a bit too much into cartoonish for my taste.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite artists were Scott Musgrove, Marion Peck, Mark Ryden and XNO. Nod to Niagara. I had to use ILL to get this book.

[Spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

juxtapoz hipster faves

[Nedda · Rating 4 out of 5]

very cool!

[DW]

The unabashed underground.
The cartoon fever dream of America.