Walter Gurbo

Walter Gurbo. The name might ring a bell. If you lived in New York City and read The Village Voice in the late 70s and through the 80s, you’ll certainly recall Gurbo’s fabulously dark, comical illustrations. His edgy cleverness set the tone for the paper and gave The Voice its attitude. In Gurbo’s illustrations, the familiar is suddenly unrecognizable, and trusted, mundane objects become weapons. Gurbo showed us the world through his creative, twisted artist eyes; he made us laugh uneasily and look twice at the world around us. Then, he disappeared.

Moving away from civilization helped Gurbo to develop his unique ways of expression independent from any art scene. He has been prolific in his seclusion, producing thousands of paintings, drawings, cardboard collages, folded books, and found-object sculpture. 

As Gurbo ages, it becomes important for him to get the work out. “To save the world,” he says, and means that the world should recognize in his work its own absurdity, as well as its beauty and potential for joy. Visit his website: https://waltergurbo.com/