Daniel Johnston

"Holy Holy" Contemporary Abstract Drawing of Three Surreal Figures and an Alien Early 2000s

SOLD

Material

Pen and ink on paper

About

Abstract pen and marker drawing by contemporary Texas artist Daniel Dale Johnston. The work features a trio of surreal, cartoonish figures with word bubbles such as "Holy Holy" and " Kiss Me or I'll Kill Ya". His iconic "alien" figure can be seen in the background. Signed in front lower right corner. Currently hung in a wood frame with a cream matting.

Artist Biography

Daniel Dale Johnston (January 22, 1961 – c. September 11, 2019) was an American singer-songwriter and visual artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. Most of his work consisted of cassettes recorded alone in his home,[4] and his music was frequently cited for its "pure" and "childlike" qualities. Johnston spent extended periods in psychiatric institutions and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He garnered a local following in the 1980s by passing out tapes of his music while working at a McDonald's in Dobie Center in Austin, Texas. His cult status was propelled when Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was seen wearing a T-shirt that featured artwork from Johnston's 1983 cassette album Hi, How Are You. Beyond music, Johnston was accomplished as a visual artist, with his illustrations exhibited at various galleries around the world. His struggles with mental illness were the subject of the 2005 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He died in 2019, of a suspected heart attack.

Dimensions

H 23.13 in x W 20.13 in x D 0.75 in