Guillotine features our new zine: Barry McGee – This Harsh Reality

“On the occasion of the Paris Photo 2022 fair, V1 Gallery in Copenhagen has published a new book by Californian artist Barry McGee: This Harsh Reality. McGee’s works are a mixture of observation of modern society and activism. His commitment to marginalized communities has remained unchanged since his beginnings as “Twist” (his nickname as a graffiti artist). Whether it’s consumerism or social stratification, McGee expresses his concerns by taking on different personas such as Ray Fong, Lydia Fong, P.Kin, Ray Virgil and Bernon Vernon. His signature motif, a male caricature with drooping eyes, references the artist’s empathy for those who call the street their home (..) His large-scale murals and meticulous archive of paintings and drawings question the notion of public space confronting private space as well as the accessibility of art. This new book presents a visual collage of the artist’s recent works: sketches and patterns of geometric shapes in garish colors, inspired by Mexican murals, his characteristic faces borrowed from the world of cartoons, as well as many photographs taken by McGee and his friends. (..) This Harsh Reality offers a unique insight into the approach of a major American artist and bears witness to the immense amount of visual information that McGee has absorbed to constitute one of the most eclectic and innovative artistic legacies of our time. Printed on a very beautiful raw Munken Lynx paper (540 gr) in a limited edition of 1000 copies, the book is now available on the V1 Gallery online store.” – Guillotine

Read the full article here (in French only)

Get your copy of This Harsh Reality on our webshop here