Christopher Henry Gallery is proud to present Ironic Icons II by New York artist William Anthony. Ironic Icons II is Anthony’s fourth exhibit with the gallery, which expands on his trademark pseudo-naive drawing style, along with his penchant for reinterpreting allegorical scenes and art historical references. In the spirit of Hollywood sequels, the exhibition is replete with depictions of popular action-adventure masculine subjects such as pirates, cowboys, and gladiators. Anthony exploits, to great effect, the full range of iconographies as a vehicle for his refreshing satires.

Picasso is fabled to have said, “Good artists copy, great artists steal” – Anthony has taken this quite literally incorporating an object literally stolen from one of New York’s major art museums. Anthony once again illustrates his masterful comedic talents, delivering a show full of laughs with his hilarious send-ups of famous artworks, a predominance of “badly drawn” nude figures in awkward situations, along with the violent actions and malicious intent of his characters.

William Anthony is the author of many books including War is Swell, Bill Anthony’s Greatest Hits, and Bible Stories. Anthony’s work has developed into a serious study of commentary and language. Over time his work has drawn the attention of important critics and artists alike: collected by such artists as Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol, championed by art critics including Ken Johnson, Robert Rosenblum, Roberta Smith, and Leo Steinberg. Anthony’s work can be found in museum collections worldwide.