Opening Reception, Tuesday, April 1, 5:30-7:03 pm

James Goodman Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of Bruce McCall’s recent paintings, which satirize life in New York, current events, and the absurdity of consumerism in the 21st century. This exhibition includes twelve recent gouaches reproduced as covers for The New Yorker; a series on the fictional ’56 World’s Fair commissioned by Vanity Fair; and sixteen works from his upcoming children’s book, Marveltown, to be released in October. All the works in the current exhibition are examples of McCall’s beguiling combination of satire, fantasy, and nostalgic wonder.

Described by Adam Gopnik as a “comic master,” Canadian-born Bruce McCall, 73, has long juggled careers in art and writing. Entirely self-taught, he has forged a unique personal style that is instantly recognizable. He is best known for his New Yorker magazine covers which are meticulously painted gouaches blending realism and escapism. McCall has created more than forty covers for the New Yorker since 1994. His world is part historical satire and part utopian fantasy. The playful images contain grains of truth while verging on the edge of science fiction. Appealing to a broad audience, his work is found in numerous private collections.

Some highlights from the exhibition include:

There Goes the Neighborhood: McCall’s brightly-colored and ostentatious high-heeled shoe dwarfs its surrounding environs. The artist pokes fun at people’s desire to constantly knock down existing architecture in order to rebuild bigger and better structures.

The Ascent of Man: McCall satirizes the constant desire of humans to obtain the next best thing in technology. Duopoly, an independent production company, commissioned an animated short based on this work which will be featured in the show.

Jiffy Twist (Eco-friendly Transport): McCall’s commentary on our country’s recent obsession with protecting the environment. He revels in the fun that this topic provides. Wouldn’t life be better if we could travel via kites and cars with sails?

Home Built Hologram at Work, from Marveltown: Children outsmart their parents by creating a hologram of a perfect tidy room that their parents will see instead of a child’s messy room. In brilliant, complementary colors, the two images are presented on a split screen.

This is Bruce McCall’s fourth solo exhibition at the James Goodman Gallery.