ART CITIES: Copenhagen-Raymond Pettibon

Influenced by the do-it-yourself aesthetic of album covers and comics of the Southern California punk-rock scene of the late 1970s and 1980s, Raymond Pettibon’s compositions typically pair image and text, with each informing the other in a circular fashion. Raw and immediate, his works have come to occupy their own genre of potent and dynamic artistic commentary, which today remains as relevant as ever.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: NILS STÆRK Gallery Archive

Raymond Pettibon’s influential oeuvre engages a wide spectrum of American iconography variously pulled from literature, art history, philosophy, religion, politics, sports, and alternative youth culture, among other sources. Intermixing image and text, his drawings engage the visual rhetorics of pop and commercial culture while incorporating language from mass media as well as classic texts. Through his exploration of the visual and critical potential of drawing, Pettibon’s practice harkens back to the traditions of satire and social critique in the work of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century artists and caricaturists, while reinforcing the importance of the medium within contemporary art and culture today. Idolization is part of human nature, yet the line between admiration and obsession is easily blurred. In Raymond Pettibon’s work, idols emerge not as flawless icons but as complex, often flawed figures enmeshed in the machinery of cultural myth-making. In Raymond Pettibon’s exhibition “Works From The 1980s” raw ink drawings are paired with cryptic texts to reveal the fractured nature of cultural heroes. Born in 1957 in Tucson, Arizona, Pettibon became a pivotal figure in the Californian punk rock scene of the late 1970s. Known for creating the iconic Black Flag logo, his early works – including album covers, posters, and zines – established him as both a participant in and critic of subcultural movements. However, Pettibon’s artistic vision extends far beyond punk iconography. Central to Pettibon’s work is his reimagining of mass media imagery through tragicomedy and biting satire. Drawing from American politics, sports, religion, and literature, he reframes these subjects to expose their contradictions. Recurring themes of violence, societal decay, and existential dread are punctuated by dark humor, creating a critique of both society and the mechanisms that turn people into idols. This critique is evident in his ink-on-paper drawings on display, where images collide with fragmented text. Pettibon’s verbo-pictorial approach blurs the line between image and language, creating an interplay where meaning remains elusive and open to interpretation. Using disjointed phrases and nonlinear narratives, he compels viewers to question the very process of idolization. In his exploration of myth-making, figures like baseball players and Jesus are not simply celebrated; they become symbols of rebellion, freedom, and disillusionment. Pettibon also elevates overlooked characters – the disillusioned youth, suburban dreamers, and cultural misfits – imbuing them with a mythic quality. His work suggests that these anti-heroes are as emblematic of society’s desires and failures as the more glorified figures. In a culture saturated with celebrity and fleeting fame, Pettibon’s art challenges us to look beyond the surface of the figures we elevate. His works interrogate not only the icons themselves but also the societal forces that construct and maintain their status. By revealing the fragility of these idols, Pettibon urges us to see them not as distant heroes, but as reflections of our own struggles and contradictions. As a vital figure in art history, Pettibon has influenced multiple generations of musicians, artists, and thinkers.

Photo: Raymond Pettibon, No Title (I replied with a grateful smile…), 1992, Ink on paper, Paper Dimensions: 30.5 x 40.6 cm / 12 x 16 in, Framed Dimensions: 36.2 x 47.3 cm / 14.25 x 18.62 in, © Raymond Pettibon, Courtesy the artist and NILS STÆRK Gallery

Info: NILS STÆRK Gallery, Holbergsgade 19, Copenhagen, Denmark, Duration: 2/11-20/12/2024, Days & Hours: Tue-Fri 12:00-19:00, Sat 11:00-15:00, https://nilsstaerk.dk/