Larry Clark
punk Picasso

Larry Clark’s opus punk Picasso gathers together scraps of evidence that chart the life of the artist and his creations, which in Clark’s case, are inseparably entwined. The book—whose title references David Denby’s review of Bully:  “…as the camera wanders—grazes—among naked thighs and tattooed torsos, this punk Picasso combines the multiple desires of lover, artist and voyeur…”—displays in scrapbook format a loose chronological overview of the celebrated artist’s provocative career.

The material presented ranges from family snapshots (his American Indian great-grandfather, his father playing golf, a portrait of his mother as a professional photographer with Rollei and flash in hand, Clark with his son’s soccer team); unpublished images from Tulsa and 42nd Street; photographs from the set of his first film Kids and his new film Ken Park; clippings from review of exhibitions and films; correspondence; transcribed stories; Roger Maris ephemera; portraits of skateboarders; River Phoenix (images appropriated from teen magazines); Clark’s lover Tiffany and their dog Snappy; Page Six from the New York Post headlining: Larry Clark stands up for U.S.; and reproductions of photograph records that act as soundtrack to the visual narrative.