Paul McCarthy
A&E Drawings at Hauser & Wirth
with Lilith Stangenberg
Text by Luc Sokolsky
Web Design by Hanna Mordekhai
What does a cracked mirror show if the image in front of the mirror is fractured itself?
In Paul McCarthy’s latest display of desire, violence and gore, on display now at Hauser and Wirth Los Angeles, the carnal undercurrents beneath human behavior are on full display. As the line between entertainment and reality blurs, McCarthy’s drawings reveal the revolting violence that threatens countless women. In frenzied drawings, executed on a scale larger than life, male figures exert control and physical and sexual violence against female figures. Drawing the line between artist studio and Hollywood stage, these drawings developed from a video series with the German actress Lilith Stangenberg, inspired in part by the 1974 sadomasochistic erotic film The Night Porter, directed by Lilian Cavani.
The name A & E carries multiple references, ranging from Adam & Eve to Adolf & Eva, while also considering Arts & Entertainment. This initialism conflates original sin, sadomasochism, entrenched patriarchy, and the power of manipulation through media, to name a few. Many drawings tower over eight feet tall, forcing the viewer to confront grotesque acts of sexuality and the repeated visage of Hitler. Rendered as a gestural caricature, the figure divulges his obsession by scrawling the name Eva repeatedly. The work A&E, EVAE, Santa Anita session contains no fewer than eight images of Adolf, the desire of each one seemingly building off the next as they careen into madness.
McCarthy’s drawings cannot be seen without considering the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade. The court ruling, which effectively strips millions of women of the right to control their own bodies and puts countless at risk of myriad forms of violence is a sliver of reality that is echoed in McCarthy’s world. As the artist contends: “I often explain my work by saying that my art is a mirror with a crack; that’s a simplification and maybe a cliché.” In this instance, the crack in McCarthy’s mirror is prophetic, understanding the carnal nature of male urges to predict bleak and charged moments.
Those entering McCarthy’s exhibition are greeted with a discretionary warning as content in the exhibition may be challenging for viewers. We may breathe a sigh of relief with a forewarning as we gaze into the cracked mirror, yet McCarthy’s latest is a somber reminder that daily life comes with no such mention.
