“MAD AS HELL!” New Work (and Some Classics) by Sue Coe
April 17 through July 3, 2012
Press Release
British-American artist Sue Coe rose to prominence in the politically-tumultuous 1980s, and her work has in the ensuing years demonstrated an unwavering dedication to such diverse social issues as South African apartheid, the corrupting effects of unchecked capitalism, and animal rights. On view at the Galerie St. Etienne from April 17 through July 3, “MAD AS HELL!” New Work (and Some Classics) by Sue Coe pulls together sixty major drawings and paintings from all phases of Coe’s career, including a body of new work that appears in the artist’s latest book, Cruel: Bearing Witness to Animal Exploitation (available in April 2012).
Over the past three decades, Sue Coe has built a substantial following by developing channels of communication parallel to the mainstream art world: through publications, lectures, guest-teaching, exhibitions, and collaboration with animal rights advocates.
The resurgent activism spurred by the 2008 financial crisis now gives new relevance to her lifelong crusade for social justice. The artist’s trenchant examination of the relationship between humans and animals seems more timely than ever, as both the ethics and environmental sustainability of animal agriculture are increasingly called into question.
“One day the absurdity of the almost universal human belief in the slavery of other animals will be palpable. We shall then have discovered our souls and become worthier of sharing this planet with them. —Martin Luther King, Jr.
Although Coe confronts difficult issues with brutal honesty, her work is underscored by a sense of optimism. The artist is confident of society’s ability to modify its behavior for the better, and her powerful images are urgent calls to action. Coe is an artist whose work has literally changed people’s, and animals’, lives.
“MAD AS HELL!” is accompanied by a detailed checklist and scholarly essay by Galerie St. Etienne Co-Director Jane Kallir. For further information and images, please contact Courtney Donner at 212-245-6734 or gallery@gseart.com. The Galerie St. Etienne is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 AM to 5 PM through May 19; thereafter, its hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 AM to 5 PM.