Karl Wirsum

Karl Wirsum

BornNationalityBased In
1939AmericanChicago
Biography

Karl Wirsum’s artistic practice is inspired by live, improvised music of blues he witnessed as a child at Maxwell Street Market, an open-air flea market in Chicago. Just like improvised sound and rhythm, his drawings and paintings are intuitive and bold in colour, rarely retouched or corrected, depicting figures, musicians and other sources from the vibrant community of street markets. Through his studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and friendship with Don Baum, chairman of Hyde Park Art Center, Wirsum joined the Hairy Who, a group of artists who collectively organised six exhibitions between 1966 and 1969. Having had unintentionally come up with the collective’s name, Wirsum’s outrageous in colour and style works were a source of inspiration to the rest of the Hairy Who. Portraying often symmetrical figures blended with strongly outlined, bright patterns, Wirsum created unique works that, alongside his friends at the Hairy Who, transformed the artistic landscape of Chicago. ...

Selected Artworks
Ice Pick Nick Fisherman
Karl Wirsum
Ice Pick Nick Fisherman, 1979
55.9 x 7.2 x 9.5cm
Saw Saw Saw,
Karl Wirsum
Saw Saw Saw,, 1966
27.9 x 34.9cm
Show Girl
Karl Wirsum
Show Girl, 1969
86.5 x 61cm
We Got Nuthun to Hyde! Unique Art Auction at 8/Special Fund Razor
Karl Wirsum
We Got Nuthun to Hyde! Unique Art Auction at 8/Special Fund Razor, 1974
34.29 x 25.4cm
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