The retro art of Shag

I'm a big, big fan of LA-based artist Shag, real name Josh Agle. JoSH AGle. See what he did there? His clean, always witty retro-artwork is distinctive and deceptively clever. As he himself describes it: 'Most of my paintings are set in the middle of a story of situation - characters are interacting and reacting to each other and to outside events'. There is a whole story captured in a single moment - it's up to the viewer to fill in the gaps (left click on the pictures to see them larger).

Those four were from his Voyeur series - the last one is called 'The Ex'. You can guess what happens next...

Sometimes his happy angular people are simply caught in a moment of celebration but we get no clue at all as to the reason - but does it matter why? Isn't it enough just to be having fun?

But then there are others that are almost inscrutably weird ...

Shag's colourful acrylic paintings echo a style once popular in the 50s and 60s and so it's no surprise that he was recently chosen to design much of the merchandise for both Disneyland's and The Pink Panther films' 40th anniversaries.

You can look at pretty much his whole back catalogue on his website here. And as an extra treat, here's the link to a feature in French magazine Guillotine where you can get to see his studio and a lot more of his work.