Joining forces back in the late 90’s through a mutual love of cult pop culture, famed artists Alex Pardee and Skinner have recently opened the doors to their latest show at Gallery 1988, entitled ‘The Butcher Kings’.
One of the Californian duos most anticipated exhibitions to date, ‘The Butcher Kings’ has been heralded as Gallery 1988’s “craziest show yet”, featuring well over 80 new yet affordable (between $300 – $1000) acrylic paintings and drawings from two of the most criminally warped minds in the low brow art scene.
Living and painting together for the past month, the pair’s body of work for the show twists, exploits and destroys our child hood memories and perceptions of existing pop culture icons, with the couple mutually drawing from various sources including Gary Larson’s ‘The Far Side’, Jack Kirby, Wheel of Fortune, Carrot Top, Robot Chicken and Aqua Teen Hunger Force to rib-aching effect.
Featuring the likes of Star Wars, Dr Who and even the controversial Human Centipede, each piece is weirder, sicker, and funnier than the last, bolstering Pardee and Skinner’s reputation as two of the scene’s leaders of (extremely!) low brow entertainment.
Unfortunately, most of the works have been kept under lock and key to anyone who cannot attend the exhibit (apart from the select few entries featured below), but luckily the pair have stated that they are set to release a limited number of books, featuring the 80+ pieces, in the coming weeks through Gallery 1988’s web store.
Fluke Skywalker – Krispie Centipede
Buffalo Bill & Ted – F*ck the Police – Captain Kirk Cobain
Dr Who Framed Rodger Rabbit – Fab Five Freddy
Truck Noris
OGAY – Rocky Dentist – Skulltron
Here, Alex explains the pair’s intentions for the project-
“We missed creating art with the sole purpose of making ourselves smile and laugh. We missed not caring if we “lose a follower” by confusing someone with a drawing of VIKKI from Small Wonder or offending someone with a drawing of a demonic dick if that dick was fun to draw. And trust us, dicks are fun to draw. And they’re hilarious. So in an attempt to re-unite our fearlessness, and to simply have fun using our separate memories and inspirations as our tools, Skinner and I present to you, “THE BUTCHER KINGS”.
Using the existing pop culture icons that we adore, we imagined what would happen if all of a sudden the memories of every pop culture property had begun to be torn apart by an unknown force and, in order to save the memories from total eradication, had to be gathered, reassembled and possibly even pushed off of a cliff by someone who was goofy, cynical, socially inept and slightly insane. That person….is us. “
– Alex Pardee, Tumbrculosis blog
Burning Pikachu, from The Butcher Kings You Tube preview
Choosing not to reveal any of the pieces before the show’s opening last Thursday (October 6th), Pardee and Skinner instead released a collection of YouTube videos that are (amazingly) even weirder than the art itself! Check below for two of the saner examples from the series- be warned, viewing could leave you emotionally scarred for life!
The Butcher Kings You Tube Previews
The Butcher Kings- New Works from Alex Pardee and Skinner
Gallery 1988, Melrose Location (LA)
October 6th – 29th
Hours: Wed – Sun: 11 AM – 6 PM Monday & Tuesday: Closed
(photos via- geekyrant/gallery1988)
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