BY STEPHANIE BUHMANN | For over 30 years, Jim Shaw has worked in painting, sculpture and drawing, as well as all sorts of hybrids in-between. He sources his eclectic imagery from comic books, record covers, conspiracy magazines, and obscure religious iconography (among others) in order to draw an accurate portrait of the American subconscious in its contemporary political, social and spiritual context.
His work, which ranges from early airbrush drawings to immersive sculptural installations, is further sparked by his large personal collections of objects that are representative of both consumer desires and counterculture. For Shaw, seemingly mundane artifacts reflect something profound: shifting social and political values that describe how individual Americans are the product of a variety of conflicting forces.
Shaw, who emerged in the vibrant Los Angeles art scene of the 1970s after graduating from the acclaimed California Institute of the Arts, has never had a comprehensive museum show in New York until now. Rectifying this oversight, “Jim Shaw: The End is Here” is a major survey that encompasses no less than three entire floors of the New Museum, and succeeds in revealing the stunning range and inventiveness of Shaw’s unique oeuvre.
Through Jan. 10 at the New Museum (235 Bowery, at Prince St. btw. Stanton & Rivington Sts.). Open Wed., Fri., Sat., Sun., 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Thurs., 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Open Mon., Dec. 28 & Tues., Dec. 29, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Closed Dec. 25 & Jan. 1. Tickets: $16 general, $14 for seniors, $10 for students (with ID), free for under 18. Pay as you wish Thurs., 7–9 p.m. Call 212-219-1222 or visit newmuseum.org.
