Since the Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art is so close to campus, I decided to trek the short distance to explore the Cary Leibowitz exhibition, Museum Show, on a rather rainy day. When journalists visit exhibitions to write reviews, they usually conduct a bit of research on the artist. I, on the other hand, did not do any of that–mostly out of laziness. Instead, I simply typed “cary leibowitz” into Google, clicked on “Images,” witnessed a blur of pastel colored canvases, thought to myself: Not too bad…cute color scheme, and promptly exited my browser window, feeling relatively prepared and well-versed in Leibowitz’s art.
I was totally wrong. The Museum Show experience can best be described as stepping directly into Leibowitz’s brain—filled with bright, youthful colors, thought bubbles, and broken china. At the surface, the art appears loud, kitschy, and vulgar. His satirical humor comes through with ease. It is proud yet self-deprecating. Superficial yet sincere. A plethora of contradictions that makes it so clever and intriguing. While the subjects of his art are personal, Leibowitz introduces widespread concepts that many can relate to.
Cary Leibowitz truthfully conveys the intersection between self-love and suffering. Tackling serious subjects, such as depression, sexuality, and heartbreak, he effortlessly weaves through comedy while leaving the underlying harshness of truth out in the open for his viewers to ponder.
Born in 1963, Cary Leibowitz—also known as Candyass—is a New York based artist who uses his gay and Jewish identity as inspiration for a lot of his work. Growing up, Leibowitz struggled with integrating himself into his social surroundings—his self-effacing artwork catalyzed his artistry. Leibowitz’s honest, self-conscious portrayals of society earned him success as he gained recognition in the 1990s. Museum Show serves as a career-long exhibition of Leibowitz’s work.
Through March 25th, Museum Show will display a plethora of Leibowitz’s artwork dating back to 1987. Admission to the exhibition is free to the public. Leibowitz’s versatility shines through in his use of mediums such as canvas, ceramics, and fabric. Cary Leibowitz’s Museum Show is not one to miss. Anthony Elms, Chief Curator of Museum Show states, “Cary garishly wears his attachments to, and connections with, others. Because identification always comes easier if more subversively with a nervous chuckle.”
