Style Is Nothing’: How Ralph Steadman Transformed Cartooning Into High Gonzo Art

Min Chen | artnet news | 10th September 2024

Steadman’s anarchic illustrations that accompanied the 1970’s writings of Hunter S Thompson are deservedly famous. He started with a training in technical drawing, but then discovered Dada, Duchamp and German expressionism. From there, his offbeat cultural perspective took over. His artistic range now covers political cartoons, sculpture, children’s books and paintings of extinct animals. Why these things? “I felt I had to be useful. Not just an artist doing a thing, but creating some of the useful kind of art.”