Meenie

This large-scale work on paper depicts one of Kenny Scharf’s most recognizable and ferocious characters, the Meanie. Since the early 1980s, Scharf has developed a pantheon of characters that populate his paintings, works on paper and sculpture. These reoccurring shapes and faces often appear in vast landscapes and cityscapes, and sometimes play roles in politically and socially charges scenes that verge on narrative painting. “Meanie is part of my vocabulary and can represent many things,” Scharf has stated. “Sometimes it is what you think: it is just Meanie. But these angry, scary faces are used to ward away evil and scare away the bad. Like in ancient civilizations, tiki heads and totem poles were for protection.”

In relating the Meanie to Tiki and totemic art, Scharf sheds light on the title of the present work, Evil Don’t Live Here Anymore/Meanie. The connotation is that the Meanie is a protector, warding off evil, and therefore a benevolent spirit that can guard whoever stands by it. Evil Don’t Live Here Anymore, it says, or Scharf says from behind a mask of sharp teeth and pointed ears.

This particular Meanie has exceptional provenance and a noteworthy history in the fashion world. The present work once resided in the collection of musician Fred Schneider, front man and founding member of the B-52s. More recently, in 2020, this Meanie image was used by American designer Heron Preston for a fashion collaboration with Scharf. Preston produced hoodies featuring the image of Evil Don’t Live Here Anymore/Meanie. In speaking about the inspiration for the collaboration, Preston said, “[Scharf] is part of the city: the first time I experienced his work was on the street not a museum. There’s an anti-elitist vision that speaks to me and what we do.” Indeed, Scharf’s work and influence extend beyond the boundaries of the fine art world, and his cultural relevance today is as much due to his works hanging in museums as it is to his murals and fashion collaborations.