Author(s): Damon McCarthy

Art and Design

Born 1945 in Salt Lake City and trained as a painter, McCarthy began experimenting with film in 1967 and began producing photographic work through the late 60s and early 70s. Based in Los Angeles, he is notorious for his perverted interpretations of childhood stories and vulgarity of expression. As critic Morgan Falconer wrote, "Interested in the parallels between American mass culture's pervasive infantilism and contemporary society's means of civilizing young children, through toys and educational TV shows, he attempted to blur all the boundaries between childhood innocence and adult knowledge and sexuality." Scalo is very excited to present this two volume edition of photographs spread over 320 pages, an extensive documentation of McCarthy's unrestrained performances and over-the-top installation. McCarthy has exhibited internationally since the late 70s, most recently at the: Tate Modern, London (2003); Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2000); and New Museum of Contemporary Art New York (2001), among other museums and galleries.
Piccadilly Circus was performed and exhibited at Hauser & Wirth London; Bunker Basement was performed at Paul McCarthy's studio in Los Angeles and the video was shown as part of the installation at Hauser & Wirth London (2003).