On exhibit at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, Beyond the Cape! Comics and Contemporary Art shows how some of the most currently sought-after contemporary artists are influenced by graphic novels and comic books. The artworks in this first of its kind show made its world premiere at the Boca Raton Museum of Art to take viewers on a deeper dive into adult realms, tackling some of today’s thorniest issues: politics, divisiveness, immigration, racial prejudice, planetary climate armageddon, feminism, LGBTQ rights, religion, gender, and more.
Grouped together for the first time in this new way, the exhibition at the Boca Raton Museum of Art features prominent artworld superstars, including:
Kumasi J. Barnett, George Condo, Renee Cox, Liz Craft, Kota Ezawa, Chitra Ganesh, Mark Thomas Gibson, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Christian Marclay, Kerry James Marshall, Takahasi Murakami, Elizabeth Murray, Yoshitomo Nara, Joyce Pensato, Raymond Pettibon, Peter Saul, Kenny Scharf, William T. Wiley, David Wojnarowicz, and Michael Zansky.
Some of the most acclaimed underground comic book artists are also front-and-center, including: R. Crumb, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, and Mimi Pond. Also featured in the exhibition are artists from The Hairy Who: Gladys Nilsson, Jim Nutt, and Karl Wirsum.
The Portable Hairy Who, by The Hairy Who, (1966), both are from the collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody)
Most assume comics are primarily intended for children, usually featuring super heroes as evidenced by today’s popular films however this exhibition is decidedly for adults. The show features more than 80 works by 40 artists: paintings, video, photography, sculpture, prints, drawings, and tapestries.
Rare comics will also be shown, plus contemporary animation and rarely seen historic cartoons from the early 1900s on vintage TVs. This exhibition is curated by Kathleen Goncharov, Senior Curator at the museum. She recruited as her ‘muse’ for this exhibition Calvin Reid, the Senior News Editor at Publishers Weekly and a leading expert in the field of comics.
Reid was one of the first critics to recognize comics as a literary form for adults, and selected the comic books and graphic novels in the reading room where the public can comfortably lounge and enjoy reading (many from Reid’s own private library).
THE IKEA READING ROOM
(Jellyfish Eyes, by Takashi Murakami, (2003), collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody)
An extensive reading room designed by IKEA features hundreds of graphic novels and comics for the public to comfortably peruse in a relaxed setting. Selected by Calvin Reid, Senior News Editor at Publishers Weekly, the 200+ comic books and graphic novels include many from his own personal library.
The public can enjoy reading works by Lynda Barry, Allison Bechdel, Roz Chast, R. Crumb, Aline-Kominsky Crumb, Mimi Pond, Trina Robbins, Art Spiegelman, George Takei and Ronald Wimberly, and many others. Reid began writing in the 1980s, about the same time Art Spiegelman and R. Crumb, alumni of the underground RAW comics, emerged as serious figures in the comic world. Spiegelman’s MAUS is probably the first graphic novel to reach a wide audience.
(Zap Comix, No. 1, by R. Crumb, (1967)
A goal in providing the reading room is to inspire fans of graphic novels who may not be prone to visit a museum to take the leap, walk into a museum and experience works of art in person. Rare comics and a series of contemporary and historic animation works will also be on view.
Support for this exhibition is generously provided by the Museum’s Leadership Fund, with major funding from: Estate of Ardele L. Garrod, Isadore & Kelly Friedman Foundation, PNC Bank, Jody H. & Martin Grass, Anne & Scott P. Schlesinger, Jennifer & Marc Bell, Dalia & Duane Stiller, Susan & Eric Kane and Laurence W. Levine Foundation, Angela & John DesPrez III, El Ad National Properties and Alina Properties, Joy & Richard Blakeman and Lisette Model Foundation, Karen Mashkin, Patricia Savides, Schmidt Family Foundation, the Museum’s Friends Auxiliary, and those who wish to remain anonymous. In-kind corporate support for the exhibition is generously provided by IKEA.
Boca Raton Museum of Art is located at In Mizner Park, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL 33432. Its open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.; on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.; and on weekends from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
For more information about the exhibition please visit: https://www.bocamuseum.org/exhibitions/beyond-cape-comics-and-contemporary-art.
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Source: Boca Raton Museum of Art
