WHAAM! by Patrick McDonnell, acrylic and mixed media

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) presents The Super Hero's Journey, a solo exhibition of paintings by artist Patrick McDonnell from November 9 to December 7, 2024. McDonnell, a Princeton resident, has entertained audiences for thirty years with MUTTS, his internationally syndicated comic strip. For the first time on the east coast, he will display his large modernist paintings.

McDonnell’s works, created with acrylic latex, oil stick, ink, and collage, are a continuation of the story of self-discovery told in his graphic novel, The Super Hero’s Journey, created for Marvel and Abrams Books.

“All art is a form of meditation, a looking inward to find the real you, the secret identity of the super hero in us all”, shares McDonnell. “I've always loved the raw beauty and kinetic energy of both comic art and abstract expressionism. My art heroes include Schulz, Herriman, and Kirby, along with de Kooning, Twombly and Basquiat.”

No Time to Explain by Patrick McDonnell, acrylic and mixed media

The paintings in this exhibition celebrate a surprising symbiotic interplay of these two dynamic art forms. McDonnell explores and expands on the spiritual and political undertones of the early Marvel super hero comics of his youth: the interplay between gods and man and the divisiveness of hero versus hero. “This work is a dance of nostalgic simplicity and moral innocence trying to come to terms with today's unprecedented fear of a dystopian future with hope for a better tomorrow.”

The Super Hero’s Journey was curated by Charles David Viera. “Patrick’s paintings are individual and special. There have been few artists who have been able combine their illustrator and fine arts skills successfully. Roy Lichenstein immediately comes to mind, but he entered the union from the fine arts side. Patrick arrives at that union from the comic illustration side, and in doing so, has elevated the comic artform to a fine arts consideration. His paintings are quite a departure from his MUTTS creations, but they maintain the humor, warmth, and insights that the comic strip has become known for. Couple this with his frenetic brush stroke, and you have something completely unique.”

Patrick McDonnell is creator of the worldwide syndicated comic strip, MUTTS; New York Times best-selling and Caldecott Honor-winning children’s book author (Me…Jane, a biography of Jane Goodall), painter (2021 solo artist exhibit at Ohio State University), and award-winning playwright. McDonnell has collaborated on books with Marvel Comics, Eckhart Tolle, and the Dalai Lama. He is a board member for the Charles M. Schulz Museum and D&R Greenway Land Trust, an animal activist, and faithful dog walker.

The Super Hero’s Journey will be on view from November 9 to December 7 in the Arts Council of Princeton’s Taplin Gallery. The public is invited to a Gallery Opening on November 16 from 3:00pm-5:00pm. McDonnell will be featured in an Artist Interview with Viera on November 30 at 3:00pm, also free and open to all.

On view in ACP’s Lower Level Gallery is Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story, a special exhibition of hand-colored prints with remarque from the MUTTS comic strip and McDonnell’s new book of the same name, centering on the plight of tethered dogs. A portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit Skillman’s SAVE: A Friend to Homeless Animals, a non-profit shelter dedicated to protecting the health and welfare of homeless companion animals in the greater Princeton area and beyond.

Art Council of Princeton's Gallery Hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00am-5:00pm; Friday and Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm; Sunday, 9:00am-12:30pm. The Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street in Princeton, New Jersey. 

The Arts Council of Princeton, a non-profit organization founded in 1967, fulfills its mission of building community through the arts by presenting a wide range of programs including public art projects, exhibitions, performances, free community cultural events, and studio-based classes and workshops. Arts Council of Princeton programs are designed to be high-quality, engaging, affordable and accessible for the diverse population in the greater Princeton region.