Kenny Scharf (American, b. 1958) is a painter and installation artist best known for his vibrant works inspired by comic books, cartoons, and pop culture. Born in Los Angeles, CA, he studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and became a central figure in the East Village art scene during the 1980s alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Scharf’s early paintings, including Judy on the Beach (1981) and The Flintstones (1981), drew heavily on imagery from Hanna-Barbera cartoons, blending humor with a critique of consumer culture. By the mid-1980s, he began incorporating biomorphic and surreal forms into his work. The 1985 Whitney Biennial featured his celebrated black-light installation Closet #7 as well as paintings such as When Worlds Collide (1984), establishing him as a distinctive voice in contemporary art.
In the late 1980s, Scharf developed his series of Glob paintings, which combined Abstract Expressionist gestures with a psychedelic, sci-fi sensibility. His later projects include the Naturafutura series (2010), inspired by the natural environment of coastal Brazil and ecological concerns such as the BP oil spill.
Scharf has exhibited internationally, with solo shows at institutions such as the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey (Mexico), MoMA PS1 (New York), and the Pasadena Museum of California Art. He continues to live and work in Los Angeles, where his practice spans painting, murals, sculpture, fashion, and immersive installations.