Mother Pig, Shushi Gallery, San Diego Performance

1983 - Photography (Photography)

Paul McCarthy

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McCarthy’s Mother Pig performance at Shushi Gallery in 1983 was the first time he used a set, a practice which came to characterize his later works. Here, McCarthy squirts liquid out of a bottle held near his crotch onto a stuffed animal in the shape of a lion. The costuming, materials, and simulated bodily functions frequently appear in McCarthy’s work, which often disturbingly juxtaposes visceral and startling manipulation of the body with the cheerful artifacts of popular consumer culture.

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Known for his transgressive performance art pieces that often challenge social conventions, Paul McCarthy is undoubtedly one of the main figures in the West Coast contemporary art scene. Using different forms from pop culture as source material, McCarthy casts a critical look at American society and consumerism. With a particularly poignant sense humor, his works also investigate the intricacies of human psychology.

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Colors:

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• americana
• architecture in art
• color photography
• comic/cartoon
• american
• abject art
• body art
• performance art
• born 1945
• american video artists
• san francisco art institute alumni
• contemporary artist
• performance and installation artist