Two artists, both alike in prowess

Henry Darger and Grayson Perry Exhibit Opening

Saturday, Feb 4

The Warhol…

Henry Darger and Grayson Perry Exhibit Opening

Saturday, Feb 4

The Warhol

$15 general admission, $10 students and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh members

The lives of Henry Darger and Grayson Perry couldn’t be more different. Darger was a reclusive individual who produced substantial works of art in his cramped room unbeknownst to anyone. Perry, on the other hand is garnering a reputation for his outlandish transvestite alter ego and striking work in ceramics. However, the two artists created masterful works of art that provoke, fascinate and, simply stated, blow minds away.

A party will be held at The Warhol on Saturday, Feb. 4, to herald the opening of a new exhibit featuring the works of both Henry Darger and Grayson Perry. The reception will feature Pittsburgh’s Daryl LeRoi Fleming and his quirky musical melodies and pottery wheel demonstrations among other activities. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $10 for students and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh members. The works of Darger and Perry will be showcased through April 30.

Henry Darger led a seemingly ordinary and reserved life. He attended Mass daily, worked at a Catholic hospital and lived in a second-floor room on Chicago’s north side. However, it was only after his death in 1973 that his landlord discovered Darger’s extraordinary secret.

In the midst of old newspapers, magazines, comic books, hundreds of Pepto-Bismol bottles and nearly a thousand balls of string, Darger’s masterful writings, paintings and drawings were discovered.

In February, The Warhol will feature Darger’s illustrated 15,000-page epic, “The Story of the Vivian Girls in what is known as The Realms of the Unreal.” It is supposed that Darger began writing his mammoth 12-volume epic in 1912. The story chronicles the efforts of the seven Vivian sisters as they struggle to free enslaved children on a great planet of which Earth is the moon.

Accompanying Darger’s tale of heroism in the exhibit are several hundred watercolor paintings and collages. These visual complements range in size from the measurements of standard drawing pads to 3 to 4 feet in height and 10 to 12 feet in length.

Darger was an untutored artist and almost certainly never visited a museum in his life. However, his artwork is remarkable by incorporating great attention to detail and embracing a unique style. Images from children’s books and comic strips were traced, and characters such as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse were included in Darger’s work.

Along with the works of Darger are those of Grayson Perry, the 2003 Turner Prize-winning artist. His pieces explore fascinating themes by depicting himself, his transvestite alter ego Claire and even political events and cultural stereotypes in his colorful ceramics. The Turner prize is given annually to a British visual artist under the age of 50 and has become the United Kingdom’s most publicized art award since it began in 1984.

Perry’s ceramic subject matter has caused much public debate. He has also used embroidery and photography to explore his controversial themes. In his work “Coming Out Dress” in 2000, Perry wore an embroidered dress for his alter ego, signifying the union of his female persona with his artwork.

Both Darger and Perry have made a significant impact in the art community. The Warhol invites all to experience this rare opportunity to venture into the realm of their unusual art.