Paul McCarthy

A major actor in the contemporary scene, Paul McCarthy is an American artist, born in 1945. He studied art at the Utah University before joining the San Francisco Art Institute in 1969, a city which attracted him in his quest for experimental art.

Along the way, he came across great artists who inspired him, especially Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Judd, and Bruce Nauman. He drew inspiration from them for Pop Art and experimental cinema, a big contrast that merges in McCarthy's work.

A provocative artist with a reputation that precedes him, Paul McCarthy became famous through his sculptures and performances. His first works focus on the universe of car races and he assembled various elements like tanks and motors. But quickly he turned towards more subversive and aggressive work. His creations have become more sexual and address a delicate topic of body fluids.

Through public installations, his giant inflatable sculptures go through a quick ascent artistically and in the media. Directly inspired by the pure forms of Brancusi, like "Princesse X", his glib sculptures makes the spectators wonder. These might be ketchup bottles, feces, garden gnomes, or even an ambivalent Christmas tree, Paul McCarthy stands out due to his art and is talked about.

One finds decadent icons on unprecedented materials like skateboards but placed horizontally.

Except for the public areas, Paul McCarthy has exhibited at the Tate Modern in London, Monnaie de Paris, and contemporary art fairs like FIAC.