One of the members of the Hairy Who group, renowned Chicago Imagist, Karl Wirsum is a Midwestern powerhouse artist of quirky humor and unmistakable imagery. The instantly recognizable, highly stylized figures reflect multitudes of influences such as a comic book figures, pop icons, religious and ethnic idols. His use of saturated colors and bold outlines is a fitting balance to the centralized figures in each composition.
SELECTED MUSEUM COLLECTIONS: Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY; National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.; Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL; Museum des 20, Jahrhunderts, Vienna; Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhart, IN; Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, WI; Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN; Kalamazoo Institute of Art, Kalamazoo, MI
YODEL ME BACK TO ORVILLE OVERHAUL, Acrylic on Canvas, 57 1/2 x 44 1/2"
I'VE GOT MY BACK UP, Colored Pencil on Paper, 23 x 28 1/2"
ROUND ROBIN, Acrylic on Canvas, 56 3/4 x 44 1/2"
VARIATION ON STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, Colored Pencil on Paper, 15 1/2 x 22"
William Nichols
