Raymond Pettibon American, b. 1957

Overview
Raymond Pettibon at The Charles Riva Collection
Raymond Pettibon at The Charles Riva Collection
Emerging from Southern California’s DIY culture and punk-rock sensibility, Raymond Pettibon’s work retains a youthful edginess and strong political engagement. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of cultural sources—Pettibon creates cartoon-inspired ink drawings on paper that evoke the aesthetics of fanzines and music flyers. 

Best known as a cult figure within the Los Angeles punk rock scene, Raymond Pettibon quickly gained international recognition as one of the most prominent contemporary American artists working with drawing, text, and artist's books. His work is characterized by its eclectic exploration of a wide range of subjects—from surfing and typography to art history, 19th-century literature, 1960s American politics, and contemporary pop culture.

Biography
Raymond Pettibon at The Charles Riva Collection
Raymond Pettibon at The Charles Riva Collection
For over thirty years, Raymond Pettibon has been chronicling the history, mythology, and culture of America through his unique artistic voice. Known for the signature interplay between image and text, Pettibon’s work navigates a broad spectrum of themes—ranging from historical reflection and emotional longing to poetic wit and sharp critique. His drawings continue to offer a distinctive and dynamic exploration of American culture.
Raymond Pettibon has been the subject of retrospectives at prominent institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Santa Monica Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. In 2002, his drawings were featured in "Plots Laid Thick", an exhibition organized by the Museu d'Art Contemporani in Barcelona. The show later traveled to the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and the Haags Gemeentemuseum in the Netherlands. Pettibon’s work was also included in Documenta XI in Kassel, Germany.
He has had solo exhibitions at prestigious venues such as the New Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and Kunsthalle Wien. Additionally, Pettibon has participated in major international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, Documenta, and the Whitney Biennial, where he was awarded the Bucksbaum Award in 2004.
Works
  • Raymond Pettibon, No Title (This Must Be Painted!), 1991
    No Title (This Must Be Painted!), 1991
  • Raymond Pettibon, Statue of Liberty, 1988
    Statue of Liberty, 1988
  • Raymond Pettibon, My Gun By My Side, 1987
    My Gun By My Side, 1987
Exhibitions