Underground comics arose in the late 60's and 70's with themes exploring sex, drugs, politics and anything else that gave artists a rise. Counterculture statements from individuals such as Robert Crumb, Harvey Peckar, Jay Lynch, Skip Williamson and others created shock waves in the art world and pushed legal boundaries.

Publications and small presses that produced the likes of Zap Comix, Weirdo Magazine, Mad Magazine and others set the tone for the comic artists of today. These artistic expressions gave birth to the current lowbrow art movement, which now encompasses everything from tattoo art, pin-up art, graffiti art, cartoon surrealism, hot-rod art, punk rock art and just about everything else that does not fit into traditional genres.

L'art Noir invites the community to join us in celebrating the roots of the lowbrow art world and exploring a selection of the current roster of underground comic artists. The Comic Art Show features six of today's finest and strangest comic artists from around North America: New Orleans' own Caeser Meadows; Connecticut's Tony 'Baloney' Juliano; Florida's Josh Taylor; California's KRK Ryden, and from Montreal, Caro Caron and Henriette Valium – who rarely exhibits in the United States. Works on display will include original artworks, limited edition prints and comic books. Prices range from $0.50 (yes, only two quarters) to $500.00.

This event also marks the introduction of the new St. Claude Arts' District – like minded galleries working together to insure artistic integrity in one of our city's re-emerging corridors. The Comic Art Show exhibition will coincide with Barrister's Gallery Inaugural Show exhibiting the works of Myrtle Von Damitz, III (opening reception 4-9pm, 2331 St. Claude Ave., www.barristersgallery.com) and the Farrington-Smith Gallery opening with paintings by Steve Richardson and Katherine Thompson (opening reception 6-9pm, 2514 St Claude Ave., www.farringtonsmith.com). And just off St. Claude, The Waiting Room Gallery opens with a showing of ink drawings, photographs and textiles by Bunny (opening reception 7-10pm, 906 Pauline St., www.wroomgallery.com).

Caeser Meadows:

Caeser Meadows was born in 1968 and grew up in New Orleans. In his early years he was an avid reader of comic strip paperbacks that he would buy at various (though now sadly defunct) K&B drugstores around town. These paperbacks would prove to be a great source of inspiration in his later creative endeavors as a self-taught cartoonist.

Meadows currently creates a couple of monthly comic strips for two local periodicals. Where Y'at Magazine has published Mumbeaux Gumbo since August 2001 and Antigravity Magazine has published Qomix since 2003. The comic strips are reformed and self-published as micro-comics and then sold in capsule vending machines around New Orleans. Meadows also sells comics in unique handcrafted paper packages shaped like pyramids, robots, TV sets and microbuses, among other things.

For several years now, Meadows has participated in the Babylon Lexicon ArtBook exhibits at Barristers Gallery. Since its inception in 1998, he has been one of the hosts of the underground comic book jam “dafa FUNGUS” on Wednesday nights in New Orleans.

He currently resides about 35 miles upriver from New Orleans in the sleepy little hamlet of Reserve, LA., where he works out of his Jigsaw Junction Studio Archive.

jigsawjct.com

Josh Taylor:

Josh Taylor died in the year 2037 at the young age of 57. Before Josh Taylor died, however, he was born. That is usually how it happens in the game of life, and Josh's life was no exception.

Josh was born in the town of Ridgewood, New Jersey. The year was 1980 and he was zero years old at the time of birth. By the second grade the Government was alerted of this talented Josh Taylor. Spies were sent to Chardonavoyn Road in Warwick, N.Y. (where the Taylor family had moved) and his house was bugged.

Josh continued with the rating and eventually ended up at the fictional art institute called Pratt in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he studied illustration and minored in something art related. He graduated at the top of his class in 2002 and was asked to speak at the graduating ceremony. Josh accepted the invitation and went on for about 25 minutes on how he felt the Government was starting to get too closely involved in the art community. Josh grew up to be a normal artist. Starving sometimes, other times catching a break.

Works illustrated by Josh Taylor include Payday ( written by Todd Kurpel, Counter Culture Comics #1); Turn the Page (written by John Schilm); and Untitled Graphic Novel ( written by Michael Stanton).

joshtaylorart.net

Tony 'Baloney' Juliano:

Award winning satirist Tony 'Baloney' Juliano is not your normal painter. With his wacky, single panel, lush whimsical sayings, ironic sadness, and penchant for parodying other famous artist, Tony makes art laughable in colorful complimentary painted frames. Tony is a graduate of the Paier College of Art with a BFA in illustration and has been a successful freelance artist since 1997.

Tony's resume includes commissioned murals, comics, illustrations, photography, art lessons, graphic designs, album covers and tattoo designs.

agooart.com

Caro Caron:

Caro Caron is a Montreal based artist who who has published her work in newspapers and magazines such as Kick Magazine, Cyclops, Aim of the Eye Album (Conundrum Press, 2002), L'Enfante du Cyclops (Zone Convective Ed. 2002), Fish Piss Magazine (2001), Katshup Comic Calendar (2001), Ferraille Fanzine (Feraille International 2000), La Cyclops Album (Zone Covective Ed 2000), Montreal Mirror Special Comix Edition (1999), Kerozen #14 (1998), Mac Tin comic book (1998), and Women's Comic Book (1998).

Caron participated for four years in the night street painting event Nuit Blanche Sur Tableau Noir in Montreal and has been a body painter and make-up artist for eleven years. She was invited to the Festival de B.D. d'Angouleme, France 2003 to represent Quebec with Cyclops Artists and received grants from the Canadian Government for all Cyclops issues. This will be Caron's second exhibition with l'art Noir.

lambiek.net/artists/c/caron_caro.htm

KRK Ryden:

KRK Ryden's art is a record of mongrel pop culture. His aesthetic is informed by comic books, punk rock and cartoons, while his worldview is strictly DEVO. KRK's work embraces everyday absurdity and a cartoony view of reality. His paintings are colorful and visually appealing reflections on discarded icons, and his graphics are well-realized snapshots of life. For over 30 years KRK has been creating illustrations and paintings for underground bands, publishers and institutions. (KRK Ryden is also related to the artist Mark Ryden - they are brothers.)

krkland.com

Henriette Valium:

Valium, whose real name is Patrick Henley, was born in 1959 in Montreal. Besides appearing in numerous anthologies around the world, he has also had a number of albums published in France, Canada and the U.S. Some of his titles include 1000 It's an Album Valium! (1987 & 1996, self-published), Primitive Cretin (1994 & 1996, self-published), Elle Est De Retour! (1989), Maladies (1991), The Clinical Visit (1995), La Prison Anale des Freres Rouges (1996), Curees Maladies (2000), and Mothers Heart (2000). His style is hallucinogenic and over-powering.

henriettevalium.com