Larry Johnson : Commie Pinko Guy

B. Hainly

Part of a generation of artists that emerged in the US in the early 1980s, Larry Johnson (born 1959) is the artist's artist par excellence, but little known outside the art world. This volume addresses the glaring bibliographic gap by offering an accessible overview of Johnson's work through analyses of some of his main preoccupations: queer politics and the urban landscape of LA and Hollywood mythologies. Featuring newly commissioned essays by Morgan Fisher, Bruce Hainley, Antony Hudek, Wayne Koestenbaum and Lisa Lapinski alongside other writings, this volume spans the artist's career from the early 80s to the present, heavily illustrated with text-based imagery and later cartoon-esque pieces. The glossy surfaces of Johnson's works are often combined with penetrating references to celebrity or gay culture, their look echoing the worlds of advertising and graphic design while evoking a variety of artistic traditions.