Anthony Haden-Guest: Drawings and Words: Beacon, NY

Ethan Cohen Gallery at the KuBe Art Center is pleased to present Drawings and Words, a solo exhibition of Anthony Haden–Guest’s whimsical cartoon drawings. This captivating showcase promises to enchant visitors with a kaleidoscope of imagination, humor, and artistic brilliance.

Foreword by Anthony Haden Guest

Cartoonery and making art are distinct practices. There’s an element of mystery to art making. “If your painting doesn’t go wrong it will be no good,” said Picasso. Degas opined "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things" and Gerhart Richter observed “Pictures which are interpretable, and which contain a meaning, are bad pictures.” A cartoon may occasionally be born from accident – a blotch, a drawing repurposed - but no cartoonist is likely to say such things. A cartoon may be intended to express a thought, channel a feeling, comment on a style or ridicule whoever and whatever the cartoonist considers a deserving target but it must do so accurately and make its point swiftly or the humor dies. So a cartoonist won’t be mysterious, unless, of course—loophole alert! —that’s the point of the cartoon.

 Another thing. The World of Words in which I came of age has been turned by an armory of devices into a World of Images. The effects are increasingly far-reaching. “I’m really off photography now, everyone’s a photographer. Everyone has a mobile phone in their pocket,” David Hockney said “Photographs are very boring”. Add that AI is causing us to question much that’s in front of our eyes. Is such and such an image actually a Deep Fake? Were these images made by artists or churned out by algorithms? Cartoonery though has a built-in immune system. AI is not witty! Robots don’t get jokes!

A final thing. Cartoonery and art-making are, as observed above, different practices. But can a cartoon hold a page or a wall as well as a painting? Of course! Why in the world not? But I would say that, wouldn’t I? Here are some of mine."

Drawings and Words features an impressive collection of Haden-Guest's artworks. Each piece in the exhibition transports viewers into a world where whimsy, wit, and social commentary converge. Throughout his illustrious career, Anthony Haden-Guest has garnered acclaim for his distinctive artistic style, characterized by bold lines, vibrant colors, and a keen eye for detail. His cartoons often touch upon a variety of subjects, ranging from politics, culture, and everyday life to more profound societal issues. By combining humor and satire with profound insights, Haden-Guest's works serve as a mirror to our collective experiences.

Anthony Haden-Guest is a distinguished artist, as well as writer, poet, and art critic. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The Sunday Times, and many other prominent publications. Haden-Guest's timely and insightful social commentary has made him a revered figure in the contemporary art scene.