Todd Schorr

.

Fantastic imagery, cartoon characters, and other pop culture icons rendered with an exacting technique and colorful palette defines the signature style of Schorr’s artwork. His iconic work to date is "“ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
] "", 2006, which depicts a plethora of zany phantoms and animals (such as Donald Duck, Coco the Clown, and a Worry-Bird), all parading around -- none other than – the lusty Los Angeles Lowbrow (art movement) collector Long Gone John. Todd Schorr is one of the most "successful"/most expensive living artists in the Lowbrow (art movement) scene.

Schorr studied Illustration and graduated from the Philadelphia College of Art. His art and illustrations have been included in Time, New York Times, and Juxtapoz Magazine, to name a few. He is married to fellow Lowbrow artist, Kathy Staico Schorr. Both live and work in Beverly Hills, California.

High Mind in the Lowbrow

A while ago, Lowbrow exhibitions "came and went with little fanfare." [Michael Mills, Broward-Palm Beach New Times, Surreal Killer: The work of lowbrow luminary Todd Schorr simultaneously savages and celebrates pop culture, January 17, 2002. [http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2002-01-17/culture/surreal-killer/print] ] Indeed, "the mainstream art world has never known quite what to make of artists like Schorr. And so, their work has been dismissed as "lowbrow art," thus absolving anyone with good taste and sophistication of any obligation to take it seriously. The implication seems to be that an artist of real talent and intellect would never squander his time and energy on something such as Schorr's "Burger Deluxe" (1997)..." [ Michael Mills, Broward-Palm Beach New Times.] ] Moreover, when in comes to the Lowbrow art movement, "the art world is a slow-moving beast and to get its attention, you have to jump through the hoops", says Francesco LoCastro, a nationally recognized South Florida curator. [Emma Trelles, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Kitschy, kitschy cool: Artist-curator brings lowbrow movement to ritzy Art Basel, December 3 2006 [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/arts/sfl-enlowbrowdec03,0,2371110.story] ]

"Clash of Holidays" Controversy in Florida

'Clash of Holidays' caused a scandal when it was exhibited in 2002, when South Florida civil leaders accused Schorr of blasphemy and others raising this as an issue over artistic freedom. A retrospective for Schorr entitled, "Secret Mystic Rites: Todd Schorr Retrospective," was organized by the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Florida, on December 14 - February 17, 2002. [ [www.artandculturecenter.org/] Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Florida.] A huge controversy immediately ensued [Chuck Strouse, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, January 17, 2002. See also: South Florida Sun-Sentinel, January 10, 2002, pg 38.] due to the museum's invition for the exhibition which depicted Shorr's 'Clash of Holidays' painting. The "museum managers mailed out about 4000 post cards showing 'Clash of the Holidays'. The outrage started there. 'Clash of the Holidays' depicts...Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny locked in mortal combat. Santa's wielding an ax. The rabbit has a knife. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Baby Jesus, who's munching on an ear from a chocolate rabbit, stand by." [Chuck Strouse, New Times Broward-Palm Beach] "It was just a joke, really, like lot of my paintings that poke fun at things, comments Schorr, who completed the piece in 2000, then sold it to Courteney Cox Arquette of Friends television show fame." [Chuck Strouse, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, January 17.] Initially, "leaders of Art and Culture Center of Hollywood...had decided to take down the painting that had drawn nasty phone calls, e-mails, and criticism from the City Commission." [Chuck Strouse, New Times Broward-Palm Beach] The controversy died down after meetings between local, state, and museum officials concerning artist's rights, free speech and censorship.

The Treasures of Long Gone John

In 2006, a feature-length documentary titled, "The Treasures of Long Gone John", was released. [The Treasures of Long Gone John [http://www.thetreasuresoflonggonejohn.com/] ] The Treasures of Long Gone John" is a feature-length documentary film by Gregg Gibbs. A chronicle of the eccentric art and musical obsessions of indie record producer and self-described "anti-mogul," Long Gone John. The film features Schorr, Long Gone John and other Lowbrows as it chronicles the commissioned “ [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
] ” progress, from start-to-finish with time-lapse photography. [The Treasures of Long Gone John [http://www.thetreasuresoflonggonejohn.com/] ]

Selected Artworks

* 2006 A Pirate’s Treasure Dream
* 2003 Futility in the Face of a Hostile World
* 2002 Into the Valley of Finks and Weirdos
* 2000 A Spectre of Cartoon Appeal
* 2000 A Spectre of Monster Appeal

Exhibitions

* 2006 Gallery Mondo Bizarro, Rome, Italy
* 2005 [http://www.Jonathanlevinegallery.com/ Jonathan LeVine Gallery] , New York, NY
* 2002 Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Florida, "Todd Schorr Retrospective", December 14 - February 17, 2002.
* 1998 [http://www.mkgallery.com/ Merry Karnowsky Gallery] , Los Angeles, CA
* 1997 [http://www.mkgallery.com/ Merry Karnowsky Gallery] , Los Angeles, CA

Publications

* Dreamland, Last Gasp, (2004).
* Secret Mystic Rites, Last Gasp, (1998).

Selected Articles

* [http://www.dangerousink.co.uk Dangerous Ink Magazine] , August 2007.
* [http://www.nudemagazine.co.uk Nude Magazine] , May 2007.
* [http://www.juxtapoz.com Juxtapoz Magazine] , May 2006.
* Xyrurah Magazine, 2006.
* Wow Magazine, December 2005.
* [http://www.juxtapoz.com Juxtapoz Magazine] , September 2005.
* [http://www.juxtapoz.com Juxtapoz Magazine] , January 2004.
* Score Magazine, January 2003.
* Michael Mills, Broward-Palm Beach New Times, Surreal Killer: The work of lowbrow luminary Todd Schorr simultaneously savages and celebrates pop culture, January 17, 2002. [http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2002-01-17/culture/surreal-killer/print]
* Chuck Strouse, Broward-Palm Beach New Times, Ax, Lies, & Audiotape: When Santa and the Easter Bunny brawl, everybody loses, January 17, 2002. [http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2002-01-17/news/ax-lies-audiotape/print]
* South Florida Sun-Sentinel, January 10, 2002, pg 38.
* Emma Trelles, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Kitschy, kitschy cool: Artist-curator brings lowbrow movement to ritzy Art Basel, December 3 2006 [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/arts/sfl-enlowbrowdec03,0,2371110.story]

ee also

* Merry Karnowsky
* Lowbrow (art movement)
* Juxtapoz
* Long Gone John

External links

* [http://www.toddschorr.com/ Todd Schorr]
* [http://www.kathystaicoschorr.com/ Kathy Staico Schorr]
* [http://www.mkgallery.com/ Merry Karnowsky Gallery]
* [http://www.thetreasuresoflonggonejohn.com/ The Treasures of Long Gone John]
* [http://www.jonathanlevinegallery.com/ Jonathan LeVine Gallery]

Notes and references