Paul McCarthy’s SS EE Saint Santa Eva Elf at Hauser & Wirth Paris

At Hauser & Wirth Paris, Paul McCarthy's exhibition SS EE Saint Santa Eva Elf runs until 31 May, showcasing large-scale drawings alongside a six-channel video installation. This work features performances with German actress Lilith Stangenberg, who embodies the character Eva Elf. For over thirty years, McCarthy has utilized his Santa Claus persona to critique themes of capitalism and consumerism. The drawing sessions were conducted on the set of his previous WS White Snow series, which reconstructs his childhood home in Salt Lake City. The pair created 15–20 substantial drawings through improvisation. The exhibition also highlights earlier A&E drawings (2020–22) at Bowman Hal gallery in Madrid until 16 May. Despite the destruction of his Los Angeles home and studios in the January 2025 fires, McCarthy continues to produce art, describing it as a response to extreme absurdity and likening Donald Trump to a cartoon. Born in Salt Lake City in 1945, he is represented by Hauser & Wirth, Xavier Hufkens, and Max Hetzler.