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.

Chicago

New York City

Derek Eller

Matthew Marks Gallery

Los Angeles

Zürich

Karma International

Kasmin Gallery

London

Thomas Dane

Stockholm

Loyal

White Columns

Shanghai

A+ Contemporary

Pace Gallery

Tibor De Nagy Gallery

Corbett Vs. Dempsey

Goldsmiths CCA

Saratoga Springs

Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery

Art Institute of Chicago

Milan

Fondazione Prada Milano

Mca Chicago

Munich

Museum Brandhorst

New Orleans

Newcomb Art Museum - Tulane University

Whitney Museum of American Art

Providence

Risd Museum

Chicago Cultural Center

Houston

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston

Taipei

Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Boston

Ica Boston

Denver

Denver Art Museum

Renaissance Society

Buffalo

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

San Diego

The San Diego Museum of Art

Philadelphia

Ica Philadelphia

Phoenix

Phoenix Art Museum

Ottawa

National Gallery of Canada

Atlanta

High Museum of Art

MoMA

Smart Museum of Art

Karl Wirsum

School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago (Saic)

We Got Nuthun to Hyde! Unique Art Auction at 8/Special Fund Razor

Show Girl

Saw Saw Saw,

Ice Pick Nick Fisherman