Exhibiting Works Influenced by Comic Styles

Born in Chicago in 1934, Peter Saul studied at the California College of the Arts and the University of Washington before residing in France until 1964. After living in San Francisco upon his return to the US, he moved to Texas in the 1980s and 1990s, where he taught at the University of Texas. Inspired by the style of MAD magazine, a publication featuring political satire and parody, Peter Saul created works in a comic-like style in 1958, referencing characters like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. These pieces have regained recognition in recent years, and he is now acknowledged as an artist involved in the earliest pop art movements.

Eric Parker, born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1968, is an artist currently based in New York and a former student of Saul. Parker cites his interest in underground comics like MAD, satirical illustrations, and graffiti as roots for his work, but most importantly, he points to Peter Saul, under whom he studied at the University of Texas, as a significant influence. This exhibition, conceived and realized by Eric Parker, is also their first joint show as mentor and student. Parker's unique and fantastical portraits and landscapes, characterized by calculated, vibrant colors and a chaotic combination of diverse motifs, reflect Saul's teaching: to remain true to one's creativity by keenly and deeply examining one's inner self, unbound by rules or trends.

Meanwhile, Peter Saul has spent over half a century creating colorful and distinctive works, drawing on his personal interests and obsessions. His subjects often include sampled historical masterpieces, portraits of politicians, and anecdotes from art history. Many of his pieces are born from Saul's own ironic humor and his affection for the grotesque and the marginalized.

Regarding his new painting, "Van Gogh Cuts Off His Ear," completed for this exhibition, Peter Saul humorously remarked, "I am delighted that Van Gogh's ear has finally descended as a subject for my work. Despite being the most famous event in art history after the Mona Lisa, it didn't happen until I was 85. If I'm lucky, I might be able to tackle this subject a few more times, as he has just 'reincarnated' in my imagination."