Surfing in Raymond Pettibon’s Paintings

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Brief Facts of Pettibon’s Life
Themes in Pettibon’s Work
Surfing as a Way of Self-Expressing
“The Weight of the Elements”
“From Which She Is Still Higher than Man”
Comparison and Contribution
Conclusion
Works Cited
Appendix

Introduction

Not many people comprehend the peculiar features of contemporary art. Today, each artist is free to choose their style and techniques. The choice made by Raymond Pettibon is impressive indeed due to its eccentricity and the possibility to discover the essence in the most unpredictable places. The recognition of this artist was firstly observed in the early 1980s. His surf-centric artworks from 1985 to 2013 remain to be the most memorable Pettibon’s projects, recognized as pure punk poetry by many people (Frank).

In this paper, two surf-centered works by Pettibon will be analyzed to clarify how the chosen artist sees life, discovers the processes that make people happy and satisfied, and discusses the issues that matter today. “The Weight of the Elements” and “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man” were created in different decades, and the evaluation of each piece is a chance to comprehend the artist, underline the values, and investigate the development of Pettibon’s art, as well as the development of the society.

Brief Facts of Pettibon’s Life

The life Raymond Pettibon is not too complicated for understanding. Besides, there is no need for compassion or sympathy. He was the fourth son out of five children in a family of an English teacher and a housewife (Solomon). He got his economic degree and even started his career as a Math teacher. Still, he changed the direction in a short period and decided to join his brother’s band, known as Black Flag. It was the period when Pettibon began drawing. His first achievement was the creation of a logo for a group (Hoby). With time, he tried to combine his life in the band with his personal preferences in the form of comic-like drawings.

Pettibon is the artist without any art education. Therefore, many of his techniques and choices cannot be logically explained or proved. However, the present complex interactions of visual and verbal techniques make Pettibon a bright representative of contemporary art, who uses transparency and authenticity to underline his uniqueness (Levine 81). He is not afraid to try something new or to change the direction any time it seems to be appropriate. His life and the possibility of choices help to create the style that differs from other approaches by its unpredictability and independence from certain boundaries and theoretical backgrounds. The style offered by Pettibon, as well as all his life, is characterized by freedoms and the intentions to underline the importance of a personality in art.

Themes in Pettibon’s Work

Each artist wants to introduce their approaches and themes through the chosen form of art. Pettibon was successful at comic drawings. He also recognizes his art as the precedent of punk, the style he prioritized in his professional and personal life. However, in comparison to other punk contemporaries, Pettibon is identified as a professional with several ruminative and sensitive qualities which help to depict “the sagacity of an old mind and the vulnerability of a young heart” (Schjeldahl). At the same time, the artist did not want to create certain boundaries and strips in regards to which other artists should work and introduce their projects but has already become the example to be followed and inspired by (Lowey and Prince 147).

Like many American citizens, Pettibon has several passions: baseball, surfing, and punk. Each theme has its impact on the artist and his decisions to develop his artistic skills in comics’ creation. Some people may think that the choice of a comic-directed approach proves the intention to be involved in children’s art and explains his possible mistakes or shortages the way a kid could do it (Schjeldahl). However, under a mask of a naïve and focused on a certain style of painting, Pettibon uses rather serious and well-grounded explanations. The father of the artist always told the boy about the necessity to be ready for military glory and become a participant in a war when the time came (Schjeldahl). However, Pettibon does not find it necessary to specify what kind of war it could be. All he tries to say is that, in their intentions to become free and happy, people should be ready to struggle against something hard to predict or imagine. Each fight is based on the issues that can hardly be foreseen. At the same time, Pettibon shows that every person has enough power and energy to cope with tasks and win the battle.

Taking into consideration the past lessons Pettibon took in his family and the current opportunities he could observe, the main theme of almost all artworks is the idea of survival under the conditions already offered. It does not matter if a person is a surfer on a board in the ocean, a teacher in the classroom, or a politician who has to speak in front of hundreds of people, there is only one goal that is to recognize personal strengths, eliminate possible weaknesses, and move straight to the dreams.

Surfing as a Way of Self-Expressing

It is possible to observe different themes in Pettibon’s projects. Still, the theme of surfing as a way of self-expression or as a tool for self-improvement remains to be one of the most frequent choices in his comics. Being raised in California, Pettibon could not lose an opportunity to discover the world of surfing and enjoy the beauty that may be depicted for those who may stand on their surfboards in the ocean. A surfer turns out to be an icon and a hero in many of Pettibon’s works. The peculiar feature of the chosen image is the possibility to combine a spiritual adventure with adrenaline. Surf art is famous in many countries. However, the citizens of California cannot only think and imagine what it is to be on a surfboard in the ocean but also experience the emotions and feelings. For Pettibon, surfing is a life that is full of action and changes that occur every single moment. The image of a dwarfed surfer on towering waves depicts the thoughts and intentions of the artist to introduce the modern life as it is: full of rises and falls with an inability to control or predict the future and be under a threat of stay alone in the middle of the ocean.

Looking at the works of Pettibon, it is possible to observe different attitudes to waves and their abilities to influence and change human lives. For example, there could be monster waves that prove the existing fragility of human life and the necessity to be ready for new challenges and opportunities. At the same time, monster waves could be turned into helpful tools which provide ordinary people with an opportunity to observe and use their strengths.

The theme of surfing in Pettibon’s artworks has some sides. The artist does not want to create limitations but to prove that people are free to make choices and decide if they become sudden victims of monster waves or powerful soldiers who can recognize the power of a wave (i.e. a challenge) and use the benefits offered.

People are not perfect, and water is the means that could be used to eliminate all threats and weaknesses. Among the existing variety of paintings on the chosen topic, the works “The Weight of the Elements” and “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man” will be discussed. Pettibon said once that any good work had to be finished by the reader not by the artist (Frank) because it had to be an ordinary person who could identify the worth of the project and its impact.

“The Weight of the Elements”

This work was performed with the help of ink and watercolor on paper in 1994 (Frank). On the one hand, it seems to be a simple drawing that is improved by a couple of words about the importance of body perfection and the necessity to take action. On the other hand, the chosen painting can be interpreted as a significant message with a certain meaning. Life in California is not easy, and people have to be ready to cope with several tasks and challenges, as well as meet certain expectations and demands. The painting introduces a person who is ready to take action and conquer the wave. In the ocean, all waves and people on them cannot avoid certain ups and downs. The location is one of the factors that have to be discussed. In this picture, Pettibon places the person in the middle to avoid possible judgments or unnecessary conclusions. A person is not able to observe what is hidden through the waves and what kind of danger may occur next. However, he keeps holding his hand outstretched and showing the direction to move further. He is not on the bottom yet. Therefore, he has a chance to change the direction and achieve the tops required.

The color of waves also matters because it proves the existing variety of things around. Water cannot be of the same type always. There are many light and dark places. Several white spots can be easily painted by the reader regarding personal thoughts and attitudes. “The Weight of the Elements” is the work that helps to think about the possible development of the events. While looking at it, it is possible to imagine the huge face of a shark behind the wave or a bright sunrise that meets a person. Much depends on how the reader treats the painting, and what emotions may bother them.

The interpretation of this artwork is a real challenge for many readers because it may be developed in a variety of ways. Someone may see nothing expect a surfer on a huge wave, and some people can observe the whole history that is represented with the help of three main colors and several tones of the blue color.

“From Which She Is Still Higher than Man”

This artwork depicts the nature of surfing in another way. “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man” is not only about surfing and its possible impact on people and their abilities. This time, the artist wants to cover serious social aspects such as gender inequality and the female possibility to fight against male power. For a long period, people tried to divide their lives in regards to their gender features. The jobs were divided between women and men, and the expectations were imposed on men and women in different ways as well. Finally, even the treatment of the achievements in the same spheres demonstrated by men and women varied considerably. Is it possible that women can get the same opportunities as men have? May it happen that women achieve something higher than men? Pettibon gives his answer in his artwork.

A huge wave with several colors and a woman conquering it on her surfboard are the main subjects of the painting. Though it is hard to recognize the gender of a surfer on a surfboard, the author underlines that it is “she” in his note to the picture. At the same time, it is possible to believe that Pettibon recognizes the wave as “she” and underlines her impressive power over a person. Every reader can choose the idea that is closer to their attitudes and thoughts. On the one hand, it is possible to see a woman surfing the way the same or even “higher” way in comparison to a man. With the help of such a picture, the author encourages the role of women and their possibilities to gain control over different situations and to use the opportunities equally. On the other hand, the same painting may be interpreted as a constant fight between the wave or nature (called as “she” by the artist) and a man (a person of any gender).

Comparison and Contribution

The two chosen works were created in different decades: “The Weight of the Elements” in 1994 and “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man” in 2002. The progress of the artist may be observed from technical and emotional points of view. As an artist, Pettibon adds new elements to the painting and introduce a wave from a new aspect. As a philosopher, Pettibon discovers the view behind the wave and shows that people may not be afraid of the unpredictability of the wave. However, the size and its impact are still significant. In both cases, people have to be ready to take action and prove something: the desire to survive and win (in the first case) and the desire to surpass and strive for something (in the second case).

Conclusion

In general, both surf artworks created by Pettibon show the connection between a person and the environment. Water, fresh air, and a person are in harmony with both pictures. However, even almost identical pictures may create different emotions because the artist intends to make the reader think and complete the image. Someone likes the ways modern artists express their thoughts. Some people cannot realize what can make the chosen works special. At the same time, the analysis of modern art helps to discover different aspects of human life, its challenges, and beauties. In his “The Weight of the Elements” in 1994 and “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man”, Pettibon successfully shows how a simple act of surfing can depict the life and everyday routines people have to deal with regularly.

Works Cited

Frank, Priscilla. “Raymond Pettibon’s Surf Paintings Are Pure Punk Poetry.” The Huffington Post. 2014. Web.

Hoby, Hermione. “Raymond Pettibon: Punk with a Pencil.” The Guardian, 2013. Web.

Levine, Cary. Pay for Your Pleasures: Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy, Raymond Pettibon. University of Chicago Press, 2013.

Lowey, Ian, and Suzy Prince. The Graphic Art of the Underground: A Countercultural History. A&C Black, 2014.

Solomon, Deborah. “Review: Raymond Pettibon as the Underground Man.” WNYC News 2017. Web.

Schjeldahl, Peter. “The Enigmatic Art of Raymond Pettibon.” The New Yorker, 2017. Web.

Appendix

*Pettibon, “The Weight of the Elements”.*

Pettibon, “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man”: — *Pettibon, “From Which She Is Still Higher than Man”.*

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