For my Thursday event I went to see the R. Crumb exhibit at the Frye museum. The exhibit is entitled "R. Crumb's Underground", and I can say without hesitation that this collection of the artist's work certainly lives up to its name. The exhibit spans nearly forty years of Crumb's work, and I was fascinated to see the changes that occurred over that time, not to mention the characteristics of Crumb's work that seemed consistent, eventually rendering him a cult icon.

I loved seeing Crumb's famous works in front of me--the original Mr. Natural comics as well as Fritz the Cat-- but what I found even more interesting were the projects and initially aimless meanderings of the artist's mind and creativity. One of these included a collection of thread spools which Crumb had drawn faces on and given names. Each one had a distinct personality and most likely some real-life significance in the artist's life. I was struck by the recurring themes in Crumb's work, such as his shameless self-deprecation (he refers to himself multiple times as a "chauvenistic prick") or his highly tuned voyeuristic tendencies and how many of the strangers he encounters wind up in his comics.

At times this collection was almost uncomfortable, and I found myself criticizing Crumb's morality and clout. But in it's entirety, I thought that what this collection ultimately communicates is that Robert Crumb is a master at being honest, particularly when the truth is not pretty. It also made me realize how much Crumb needs his comics on a personal level, and one can see, as the artist grows older, just how much more personal they become. I left this show with the notion that the exhibit itself proposes: that R. Crumb is truly one of the most gifted illustrators of our time. I highly recommend this show.

http://www.fryemuseum.org/pages/RCrumbInfo.htm