WS

Paul McCarthy

WS

Paul McCarthy

June 19, 2013 - August 4, 2013

Wade Thompson Drill Hall

The “ribald, pop-culture-obsessed provocateur” (The New York Times) Paul McCarthy applies his signature, irreverent wit to take aim at American myths and icons in WS, his largest work to date and the pinnacle of his creative output. Adding a touch of malice to subjects that have been traditionally revered for their innocence or purity, McCarthy weaves together a massive, fantastical forest of towering trees with grotesque video projections of iconic characters playing out their own fairy tale drama in a replica of his childhood home.

This daring social commentary lampoons the American dream and its cherished icons, bombarding the viewer with a sensory overload of scatological, sexual, violent, and debaucherous imagery that boldly forces the viewer to acknowledge the twisted underside to saccharine idols in popular culture. The result is a visceral, very challenging, immersive experience by one of the most influential and important artists of our generation.

Installation Hours

Tuesday–Thursday: 1:00pm–8:00pm
Friday: 1:00pm–10:00pm
Saturday–Sunday: 12:00pm–7:00pm

Content Advisory

This exhibition contains mature content. Entrance is restricted to visitors over 17 years of age.

“ ‘WS,’ which fills the immense drill hall of the Park Avenue Armory, is basically a Yahoo epic, its satire framed in the language of Disney, Duchamp, 1950s suburbia, 21st-century greed and Craigslist pornography. The piece is grand and gross, with ambushing flashes of beauty and an X rating.”

The New York Times

“…McCarthy keeps upping the ante. ‘WS’ stands for White Snow, and his twisted take on Snow White is his biggest, trippiest Weirdworld yet. He has transformed the hall into an adult theme park, a pornographic para-Disneyland that tips up the boulder of consumer romance to expose the slime underneath.”

Financial Times

“…fantastical, excremental, imaginative, and elemental…”

New York Magazine

Gallery

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

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  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    2/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    3/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    4/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    5/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    6/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    7/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    8/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    9/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    10/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    11/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    12/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    13/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    14/15

  • Paul McCarthy's WS at Park Avenue Armory.
    Photo: James Ewing

    15/15

Related Videos

  • Artistic Director Alex Poots on Paul McCarthy's WS

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  • Paul McCarthy, Damon McCarthy, Tom Eccles, Hans-Ulrich Obrist in Conversation | Paul McCarthy's WS

    2/5

  • Paul McCarthy, Damon McCarthy, Tom Eccles, Hans-Ulrich Obrist in Conversation | Paul McCarthy's WS

    3/5

  • Time-lapse | Paul McCarthy's WS

    4/5

  • Q&A with Drue Worrell from Paul McCarthy's WS

    5/5

Production Credits

Paul McCarthy: WS is co-curated by the Armory’s Artistic Director Alex Poots and Hans-Ulrich Obrist in association with Tom Eccles.

Support

The Armory is grateful to Ken Kuchin for his generous support of this installation.