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"This Sporting Life," a 2013 acrylic on canvas by the Pizz. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
A custom, 1965 Fender Jaguar (serial Number L84725) by John Bolin and Billy F. Gibbons. It has a chrome body, machine turned scratchplate, maple neck, ivory pickup and custom amp meter inset into pick guard. It was modified in 1969. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31.
"Pipeline/Back Door," a 1974 acrylic on board by Rick Griffin. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"5 Summer Stories," a 1971 drawing made of colored pencil and ink on vellum. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
Pictured are 1995 works by Don Ed Hardy, including "Tweeter's Recovery" (From Tattoo Royal Suite) in the foreground. Color lithograph, Edition No. T/P, edition of 30. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"Nurse Mercy" (from Tattoo Royal Suite), a 1995 color lithograph, Edition No. T/P, edition of 30, by Don Ed Hardy. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"Could You Hurry It Up a Little?," a 1971 specialty eyeball drawing for Glenn by Rick Griffin. It's an ink on illustration board, and it's on view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"LA Drive-By," a 1998 oil on velvet by Sandow Birk. Pictured above it is "Huntington Beach Shark Attack" (2012), which consists of paint on a found surfboard, by Jason Maloney. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"Pipeline/Back Door," a 1974 acrylic on board by Rick Griffin. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"Virgin of Malibu," a 1976 acrylic on canvas by Rick Griffin. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"Oscar Wilde in Leadville April 13th 1882," a 1991 oil on canvas by Robert Williams. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
Munster Koach, a souped up vehicle by George Barris. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
"Portrait of David," a 2013 oil on canvas by Nicola Verlato. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31.
A recent work by Anthony Ausgang that will be included in the "Kuston Kulture II" show at the Huntington Beach Art Center, July 13-Aug. 31.
"Road Queen," a 2005 mixed media work by Rick Rietveld. On view at Huntington Beach Art Center, July 13-Aug. 31.
Dwarves, a circa 1936 graphite on paper by Disney Studios. On view at the Huntington Beach Art Center through Aug. 31, part of "Kustom Kulture II."
Cars souped up or piled on top of each other.
Young women naked or in bikinis, sitting in hotrods or straddling motorcycles.
Surfers catching that most awesome wave, dude.
These phenomena and more can be seen in the Huntington Beach Art Center’s latest exhibition, “Kustom Kulture II.”
The group show, curated by surf historian C.R. Stecyk, collector Greg Escalante and designer Paul Frank, celebrates the 20th anniversary of the original “Kustom Kulture,” a hugely popular exhibit that ran July-November 1993 at the Laguna Art Museum.
The H.B. version features many of the artists from the original show – Robert Williams, Von Dutch, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Rick Griffin.
The art center exhibition also includes some new artists inspired by those forebears: Don Ed Hardy, “Big Toe” (Tom Laura), Miles Thompson, Anthony Ausgang and COOP (Chris Cooper).
First, there’s little doubt that this is an impressive show. Many elements came together during a short period of time. The curators did plenty of work organizing the exhibit, borrowing from collectors and hanging the various pieces.
But it should also be noted that this exhibit represents an almost exclusively male culture. With all the focus on the objects, lifestyle and accoutrements surrounding automobiles, motorcycles, surfing and skateboarding, it’s natural that the world depicted in this show would come from a man’s point of view.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But that approach necessarily excludes the female perspective, which “Kustom Kulture II” largely does, with some brief exceptions.
The visual culture of hot rods, motorbikes, skateboarding and surfing is massive and endlessly prevalent here in Orange County. Many of the surf and skate clothing, product and accessory industries are based here. So a show like “Kustom Kulture II” makes plenty of sense in O.C.
Much of the art on view is entertaining, eye-popping and just plain fun. I would especially point out legendary “lowbrow” artist Williams, Basil Wolverton, Griffin, SHAG and Rick Rietveld. Sandow Birk also lands on the list, but he’s only represented by one drawing and one painting – “Pee-Chee Homage to George Greenout” (2003) and “LA Drive-By,” a 1998 oil on velvet.
Hardy’s tattoo-informed lithographs are intricate and passion-filled, while Griffin’s cartoony and surf-infused work demonstrates just how influential he has been to this movement.
Williams is another cornerstone in this show, and he is represented by no less than nine works. His 1991 oil on canvas, “Oscar Wilde in Leadville April 13th 1882,” is simply amazing.
In his outstretched right hand, the Irish playwright Wilde holds Venus and her shell in an ode to Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus” (c. 1485).
Yet, she’s got a cigar in her mouth, she’s got stubble on her face and she’s in a pair of work boots. Nineteenth century cowboys make fun of Wilde in the bottom left corner, shooting their pistols and drinking up a storm. A Western shantytown hovers in the top left corner, and a purple and pink fairy kisses a lionized portrait of Wilde on the right. This painting is yet more evidence of Williams’ mad skills and creativity.
I love the paintings of cars piled on top of each other by Michael Knowlton. I suppose it’s evidence that this movement doesn’t take itself too seriously. Along similar lines, I also like Dustin Shuler’s sculpture, 1/8-scale maquette and 1989 photo of “The Spindle,” a stack of eight cars impaled on a 50-foot-tall spike.
Disney Studios is represented by three images. One circa 1937 image that prominently features a Nazi swastika on a drum is a little quizzical. Why was it included in this show? I don’t quite see the connection with “Kustom Kulture.”
As I mentioned before, this show is dominated by the male gaze, and includes plenty of examples of men’s fantasies and fetishizations of women’s bodies and body parts. The only obvious exception is a small enclave of Margaret Keane paintings and works inspired by Keane’s signature large-eyed portraits.
All three of Keane’s portraits are emotionally rich and quite good. There are definite connections between Keane and anime. However, I doubt that “her amazing eyes are commonly accepted as the influence that almost single-handedly created anime,” as the exhibit claims.
Anime is a style that developed in Japan in the 1960s and didn’t become popular in the West until the 1980s. Osamu Tezuka, creator of Astro Boy, is largely credited as the “godfather of anime.” He, in turn, found inspiration from Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse and Disney’s “Bambi.” So, to claim that Keane’s influence “almost single-handedly created anime” is a bit of a stretch that discounts an entire nation’s cultural activity and artistic legacy.
Back to the show, the Keane-influenced paintings are also well done, particularly those by Enzia Farrell, Vicki Berndt and SAS Christian, whose “Love Child” (2002) and “Space Sugar” (2004) are rare examples of African American female empowerment.
Mark Ryden has contributed a nice “Girl color study” from 2006, clearly taking inspiration from Keane. However, Keith Weesner’s “Heathen’s Refuge,” a 2012 acrylic on wood that depicts a sexy, topless woman straddling a motorcycle and another nude female lying on a bed in the background reminds us of the objectifying male perspective and seems a bit out of place in this enclave.
Rietveld’s mixed media “Road Queen” (2005) typifies “Kustom Kulture II” in many ways. First, it’s a captivating, very well executed painting, with symbols of car, tiki and skateboarding culture surrounding a six-armed woman.
Second, it, like many other pieces in the show, incorporates some elements of objectification and exploitation: a shapely young woman wears a checkered flag bikini, holds lucky charms and shows off intriguing tattoos on her body.
Finally, her six arms are unmistakably positioned as those of a Hindu goddess, giving this work spiritual and religious connotations. So, even though this Rietveld painting shares some of the male-centric characteristics of other works in the show, it is also quite religious and deep, if you examine it for a while.
“Kustom Kulture II” is full of fetishes, obsessing over and glorifying materials and symbols associated with surfing, skateboarding, motorcycles and hot rods. The objectification and eroticization of women is also part of that world.
This large group show could benefit from a checklist or a catalog, like its predecessor had. (Apparently, a catalog is in the works.) Despite its imperfections, “KKII” is still an intriguing, engaging show that’s worth checking out.
Contact the writer: 714-796-6026 or rchang@ocregister.com
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