Visual Articulation

- January 24, 2020 -

Written by Julio Jaquez

I mean I wouldn’t particularly say that I had no knowledge about it, but I think the realization incrementally revealed itself to me. I don’t think I’d have it any other way though. Throughout this process of this realization, I discovered my taste for things. I’ve discovered what it is that I particularly enjoy, what I dislike, and what it is that I like to feel.

Ralph Steadman is a Welsh artist known for his grotesquely figured social and political caricatures that touch the deepest and darkest parts of my soul (I would personally say that I am a fairly nice and happy guy).

I am not sure how to properly articulate this culmination of feelings, but I will do my absolute best to express these dark, but pleasurables emotions. It is almost like a state of melancholy, but the kind where you have purposely placed yourself in. In fact, you have placed yourself there because it feels great. It is kind of depressing, but damn why does it feel so good? Steadman’s flamboyant, disturbing, yet hauntingly beautiful illustrations quite literally pleases the inner deranged and escapist within me. I promise you when I tell you that I am mentally stable. With Steadman’s large following, I am sure there are many of you out there that indulge in this sort of fuckery. Like I said, I had an idea that I liked this sort of thing, but it wasn’t until Steadman that I could finally pin the points.

Born in Wallasey, Cheshire and raised in Northern Wales, Steadman grew into a lower-class family. His father a commercial agent and his mother a shop assistant at T J Hughes, a discount department store, raised the cartoonist, illustrator and the author Steadman came to be. Steadman’s illustrations in collaboration with American journalist Hunter S. Thompson created ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’, which became one of his most widely recognized works. In 2005, Thompson committed suicide at the age of 67. Thompson’s struggles with fame became known along with lifelong usage of alcohol, narcotics, his idolization of firearms, and his “fuck the world” mentality. Thompson falteringly stated, “I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." 

Steadman describes his illustrations for the film as, “... something inside me waiting to erupt”. Paired with Thompson, they did nothing less but erupt. He explains he and Thompson found each other entirely ridiculous and that the coupling was like “chalk and cheese”.

Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner states, “It’s what we are thinking at the back of our heads, but not able to get at.”, when describing Steadman’s conception of ideas. I’ve always had this sort of fascination with what I’ve recognized as hauntingly beautiful, but Steadman’s illustrations visually articulate many of these fascinations. 

As a senior at the University of Oregon, I have had the ultimate privilege of working at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art for nearly 3 years. Throughout these three years, I have experienced many exhibition openings, spoken with the various artists who graciously reveal their art at the JSMA, and have crossed paths with art enthusiasts across the spectrum. 

Steadman’s exhibition titled Ralph Steadman: A Retrospective first revealed itself to the Eugene public on October 05, 2019. On display is Steadman’s work that ranges from his sketches he created as a student during the 1950’s to his present day illustrations.

Prior to the opening, I had no idea who Ralph Steadman was or how much his work meant to me unknowingly. While setting up for the event, I noticed the vast amounts of alcohol that we typically provide for each opening was particularly different this time. The bottle’s label featured strange and twisted images of dogs with wings coupled with an array of vibrant colors that surely differentiated itself from any other alcoholic beverage. Initially it wasn’t the labels that caught my attention,  but rather the provoking names of each of the beers. From “Raging Bitch”, “Doggy Style”, and the much more subtle, but equally lewd, “Pearl Necklace” were to be served as the drink of the night to our revered donors.

While observing the labels, I noticed similarities between the illustrations on the labeling and I’d say, one of my top ten favorite albums, Huncho Jack Jack Huncho’s cover art. Lo and behold, my dumbass did a little bit of research and sure enough, the illustrations on both the cover art for the album and the labels were from Steadman himself. What I had thought was going to be a typical opening was now something I had been completely invested in unknowingly since Huncho Jack Jack Huncho’s release in 2017. 

Luckily, I had the opportunity of being present and hearing Steadman’s daughter, Sadie Williams, speaks on behalf of his work and answer the questions of Steadman enthusiasts. With this new knowledge I had acquired, I had already come to terms with myself that I would ask her about the album cover and if she had any knowledge about it. Luckily enough, I was low-key instructed to grab the microphone from her as she wrapped it up. Without hesitation, I introduced myself as a part of the JSMA staff hoping that she would feel more inclined to answer my question. I graciously thanked her for her marvelous presentation and began to expose my intentions. I explained to her how I initially became aware of her father’s work and my appreciation for the Huncho Jack Jack Huncho cover art. I’m telling you I love the fuck out of this album. I asked, 

“Is there anything you can tell me about the interaction your father may have had with Travis Scott and Quavo with the creation of the Huncho Jack Jack Huncho cover art?”

I had this inclination that she would have no idea about it, but enthusiastically, she replied that she was the one middle-manning in between T.I.’s label, Grand Hustle Records and Steadman. Fangirling on the inside, I held it down and kept it cool. She mentioned that the original artwork was much too large to have been on the album cover and it had to be minimized. As the conversation gradually ended, I respectfully asked for a picture and kept it moving. I don’t think you could’ve paid me to stop smiling. That interaction between Steadman’s daughter and I made Travis’ and Quavo’s adlibs hit that much different.

With the exhibition’s end date in sight, I thought I would take one last look before the galleries rotated Steadman out. I arrived shortly before the museum's 11:00AM  opening and found myself being the first in the Barker Gallery. As I maneuvered myself throughout the gallery, I began to relive why it was that Steadman initially captivated me. I gawked at each piece within the gallery as meticulously as possible, attempting to capture every bit of the fleeing exhibit. I was particularly intrigued by Reagan’s Latest Close-Up because of its similarities to the Vlone graphic created by A$AP Bari for his New York Pop Up held in October 2019. Drawing my own conclusions, I was very excited to connect the inspiration A$AP Bari may have had by Steadman. 

This wasn’t the only inspiration I seemed to have drawn between the A$AP Mob and Steadman. Highlighted in the Barker gallery against a bright red wall, I noticed two particular illustrations seemed to have some sort of inspiration in the A$AP Rocky music video Babushka Boy. In the music video, the policemen are depicted as pigs. I understand that cops are typically depicted as pigs, but the uniforms within the illustration and video are fairly similar. I maybe hella reaching, but the policemen’s ears in the video and the ears depicted in the Donald Trump Porky Pies illustration are close enough to make a call. Truly I’d love to believe that the A$AP Mob has been moved as much as I’ve been by Steadman, but again, this is all speculation.