Sky-high neon orange and green stilettos disco in one painting. Caricatures in bright colors with bulbous noses and outrageous clownish costumes line up down a wall.
It's art with an edge that comes from a progressive attitude toward culture twisted and a funky emotional flair. The Chicago Imagists took political and cultural topics and twisted them with emotions to create funky, offbeat pieces of art that sometimes pleased and sometimes shocked viewers.
Several pieces from the group of artists are now on display in a temporary exhibit at the Ball State Art Museum for students and residents of Muncie to explore and experience.
The Chicago Imagists have their roots in 1960s imagist group The Hairy Who, but individual artists were also heavily influenced by comics, pop culture, surrealism and self-taught artists such as Joseph Yoakum.
The Chicago Imagists was a large, informal group of artists. Many studied at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and dealt with similar themes and styles. While much of their work did not catch on right away, today it is exhibited across the country in museums and universities.
The Ball State Art Museum began collecting the exhibit artwork in the mid-1970s, but it is likely this is the first time it has been displayed as a whole. There are 18 pieces in the exhibition. While most of the pieces come from the museum collection, a few, including Roger Brown's "Burners, Burglars and Beaters" have been borrowed to supplement the exhibit.
Museum Director and Curator Peter Blume discovered the collection of Chicago Imagists works accidentally while pulling artwork for a fellow director. They discovered a Christina Ramberg, which led Blume to search out the rest of the museum collection.
"The painting got me thinking about it. I've seen their stuff. Ed Pashke, Jim Nut, Roger Brown -- they all have very big international reputations. It was like putting them all into a box for the first time, discovering we have this lovely group that I don't think has been seen for a long time," said Blume
While all of the artists share some similarities of theme and style, the artwork is distinct and recognizable. Jim Nut borrowed heavily from comics. Christina Ramberg used corseted figures to return repeatedly to feminist and stereotype issues. Roger Brown was famous for his distorted but recognizable portraits and hidden faces and figures.
The artwork all deals with heavy topics of sex, politics, violence, feminism and pop-culture. It was created during a time when the world was changing politically, socially and economically. The changes are reflected in the Chicago Imagists' work.
"Art that is really good is always representative of its moment. All art is political, and somehow painting covered bridges was not doing it for this ferocious climate," said Blume
While bright colors, distorted figures and outrageous content will draw visitors to the exhibition, the emotions and ideas behind the works are what makes them memorable.
The race riot in "Burners, Burglars and Beaters" has just as much of an impact today as when it was created after the Rodney King verdict race riots in 1992. The artwork sticks with visitors because of the relevance it has even today.
The exhibition is a step back into a tumultuous time, but Blume said, "They still look extremely. To me the painting with the platform shoe is just as outrageous today as back in 1974 when it was painted."
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