June 20–July 18, 2020
Steve Turner is pleased to present Why you really mad?, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based David Leggett which features paintings and works on paper from the last few years that utilize a comic style to deal with serious subjects like racial injustice and police brutality alongside lighter ones like art history and pop culture. While he makes his works accessible with colorful depictions of Bart Simpson, Fat Albert, Alfred E. Newman and other somewhat familiar blobby characters coupled with catchy phrases, he does so to get you in. Once there, you will have to face the more difficult issues that are part of every work. The question in the title is Leggett’s, one he poses to anyone who might take offense at his work.
David Leggett (born 1980) earned a BFA at Savannah College of Art and Design (2003) and an MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2007) before attending Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (2010). He has had solo exhibitions at Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago (2017 & 2019) and his work has been included in group exhibitions at Zidoun & Bossuyt Gallery, Luxembourg; James Fuentes Gallery, New York; Kunstverein Langenhagen, Germany and the Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina. This is his first exhibition at Steve Turner, Los Angeles.
David Leggett creates paintings and drawings that utilize a comic style to deal with serious and sensitive subjects like religion and racial injustice. While he makes his works accessible with colorful depictions of Bart Simpson, Mickey Mouse, clowns or other somewhat familiar blobby characters coupled with catchy phrases, he does so to get you in. Once there, you will have to face the more difficult issues that are part of every work. In doing so, Leggett broaches subjects that are often too difficult for most artists to address, or when they do, they do so in a heavy handed, cliché laden manner that has no effect. Leggett’s approach is successful because it does not tell you what to think, but it does ask you to think.
Born 1980, Springfield, Massachusetts
Lives and works in Los Angeles
Education
2010
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, Maine
2007
MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2003
BFA, Savannah College of Art and Design, Georgia
Solo Exhibitions
2020
Why you really mad? Steve Turner, Los Angeles
2019
David Leggett, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago
2017
Asking for a friend, Kimmerich Gallery, Berlin
Drawings, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago
Their funeral, our dance floor, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago
2016
Black Drawls, Gallery 400, Chicago
2015
Sugar foot rain dance, Arts Incubator in Washington Park, Chicago
2014
Going to bed angry, 65 Grand Gallery, Chicago
2012
Coco River Fudge Street, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago
It’s getting to the point where nobody respects the dead, fresh to death, Western Exhibitions, Chicago
David Leggett New Paintings, Hinge Gallery, Chicago
2010
Up for the Down Stroke, 65 Grand Gallery, Chicago
Group Exhibitions
2020
Group Show, Zidoun & Bossuyt Gallery, Luxembourg
Blackstract, Tag Gallery, Los Angeles
Eleven Figures in Two Parts, Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara, California
2019
Depiction, Again, Kunstverein Gallery, Langenhagen, Germany
Island, Ramp Gallery, London
The Flat Files, The Pit, Glendale, California
Somebody Told Me You People Were Crazy, Hathaway Gallery, Atlanta
2018
Above The Rim, Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh, North Carolina
Mixed Emotions, Various Small Fires Gallery, Los Angeles
The Unseen, James Fuentes Gallery, New York
Cosmic Traffic Jam, Zevitas Marcus Gallery, Los Angeles
Hand-Eye Coordination: Sports and Art, Western Exhibitions, Chicago
2017
Figured Out! Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Chicago
Council, Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Chicago
2016
Alex Becerra, David Leggett, William J. O’Brien, Kimmerich Gallery, Berlin
Death: A Summer Show, Trestle Projects, Brooklyn
Chicago and Vicinity, Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago
2015
Three the hard way, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago
2014
Ducks, Greenpoint Terminal Gallery, Brooklyn
Now Chicago! The Hughes Gallery, Sydney
Poems in a Room, Magic Pictures, Philadelphia
2013
Recess, South Side Community Art Center, Chicago
Thru-Lines, 65 Grand Gallery, Chicago
Whisper Down the Lane, Gallery 400, Chicago
(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man, Tracy Williams Ltd., New York
Squirts: April Childers, David Leggett, Max Maslansky, Regina Rex, Queens
2012
Romancing the Tone, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
Afterimage, DePaul Art Museum, Chicago
Where My Clone At?, Double Break, San Diego
Where My Clone At? 2, POVevolving Fine Art Printing Studio, Los Angeles
Blaque Lyte, ADA Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
2011
Museum as Hub: Alpha’s bet is not over yet! The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York
Kodra 11 Contemporary Art Festival, Thessaloniki, Greece
Is this thing on? Cobalt Studio, Chicago
People Don’t Like to Read Art, Western Exhibitions, Chicago
The MDW Fair, The Geolofts, Chicago
West, Wester, Westest Pt. 2, Fecal Face Dot Gallery, San Francisco
Futuro Perfecto, Zora Space, Brooklyn
Drop it like it’s not, Murder Town Gallery, Chicago
Psycha-Bobble, High Concept Laboratories, Chicago
Skowhegan Alumni Exhibition, 92Y Tribeca, New York
Heads on Poles, Western Exhibitions, Chicago
2010
Ah, Wilderness!, Ebermoore Gallery, Chicago
SK10-New works from the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Class of 2010, Tompkins Projects, Brooklyn
2008
Disinhibition: Black Art Blue Humor, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago
Re:visions, Zolla Lieberman Gallery, Chicago
Grants, Residencies and Awards
2018
Joan Mitchell Center Residency, 3Arts Fellow, New Orleans
2014
University of Chicago, Arts and Public Life, Artist in Residence
2013
Robert Rauschenberg Residency, 3Arts Fellow, Captiva, Florida
Maker Grant Runner-Up, Chicago,
2010
Fellowship Award, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
The Drawing Center Viewing Program
2009
Visual Artist Award, 3Arts, Chicago
2005
Trustee Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Fellowship Award, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Bibliography
2019
Moreira-Brown, Caira. “Transcendent Humor: A Review of David Leggett at Shane Campbell Gallery,” Newcity Art, June 24
Buchanan, Mary Lynn. “David Leggett Studio Visit,” Mary Lynn Buchanan Blog, February 15
2018
Nimptsch, Emily. “David Leggett and Ryan Richey: Mixed Emotions,” Riot Material, July 31
Caldwell, Ellen C. “Detouring Through Art, History & In Cosmic Traffic Jam,” Riot Material, August 17
2017
New American Paintings, Midwest, Issue #131, August/September
Cardoza, Kerry. “David Leggett has the last laugh,” Chicago Reader, June 28
Carney, Sean J. Patrick. “First Look,” Art in America, June
Cardoza, Kerry. “Tough Love with a Glint of Humor,” Newcity Art, April 20
Burns, Emily. “Q&A with David Leggett,” Maake Magazine
2016
Sargent, Antwaun. “An exhibit takes aim at art history, race, and Drake,” Vice Berlant, Lauren. “Comedy is a great way to break the news: A conversation with David Leggett,” Critical Inquiry
Petty, Felix. “David Leggett is the dark, comic art star of underground Chicago,” Vice
Sierzputowski, Kate. “David Leggett’s User Generated Satire,” Inside/Within
2015
Ungur, Laura. “Dry Magazine Artist Interview,” Dry Magazine
2014
Forrest, Nicholas. “‘Now Chicago!’ at The Hughes Gallery, Sydney,” Blouin Artinfo
2013
Ise, Claudine. “A New style of art communication,” The Chicago Tribune
Eler, Alicia. “A Midsummer Group Show Dream,” Hyperallergic
Perry, Eve. “Not Taking the 1990’s Very Seriously,” Hyperallergic
Scott, Andrea. “(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man,” The New Yorker
2012
Langbein, Julia. “Critic’s Pick: ‘After Image’ at DePaul University Museum,” ArtForum
Jackson, Danielle. “Cotton Candy Sweet as Gold: A Conversation with David Leggett,” Sixty Inches From Center
Yeapanis, Stacia. “Other Peoples Pixels Interviews David Leggett,” Other Peoples Pixels Blog
Bellware, Kimberly. “Coco River Fudge Street,” The Chicagoist
Ritchie, Abraham. “It’s getting to the point where nobody respects the dead. Fresh to death at Western Exhibitions. Now That’s Fresh,” Art Slant
Ritchie, Abraham. “Coco River Fudge Street,” Flavorpill
Ritchie, Abraham. “Rackroom Interview,” Art Slant
Glass, Claire. “Portrait of the Artist: David Leggett,” Newcity Art
Beautiful/Decay Book: 7, Class Clowns
2011
Weinberg, Lauren. “‘People Don’t Like To Read Art’ at Western Exhibitions: John Parot, Deb Sokolow and other artists make text sexy,” Time Out Chicago
Ritchie, Abraham. “People Don’t Like to Read Art at Western Exhibitions,” Art Slant
Ritchie, Abraham. “Heads on Poles at Western Exhibitions,” Art Slant
2010 “Interview: David Leggett,” Black Visual Archive
Ritchie, Abraham. “Chicago’s Best of 2010 Pick: ‘Up for the Down Stroke’ at 65 Grand,” Art Slant
Schmidt, Shannon. “David Leggett at 65GRAND,” Chicago Art Magazine
“Up for the Down Stroke at 65 Grand Gallery,” Daily Serving
“Up for the Down Stroke at 65 Grand Gallery,” Beautiful Decay
