Paul McCarthy's 'A&E' Performance and Drawings at Bowman Hal, Madrid
The Bowman Hal gallery in Madrid, part of the SOLO CONTEMPORARY initiative, presents Paul McCarthy's latest works until May 16, 2026. The exhibition 'A&E' features large-format drawings and videos created between 2020 and 2023, born from private performances with German actress Lilith Stangenberg. The acronym 'A&E' evokes Adam and Eve, Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, and Arts & Entertainment. McCarthy describes the project as a role-playing game inspired by Wilhelm Reich's 'The Mass Psychology of Fascism' and Liliana Cavani's 1974 film 'The Night Porter.' The drawings serve as storyboards for ongoing video performances exploring fascism as a persistent cultural force. McCarthy notes he is experimenting with AI for basic image manipulation but does not fully understand its algorithms. The show is organized in collaboration with Hauser & Wirth, McCarthy's long-standing gallery.
Key facts
- Exhibition runs until May 16, 2026 at Bowman Hal, Madrid.
- McCarthy collaborated with actress Lilith Stangenberg on performances and drawings.
- Works date from 2020 to 2023, including drawings and videos.
- Title 'A&E' references Adam/Eve, Adolf/Eva, and Arts & Entertainment.
- McCarthy cites Wilhelm Reich's 'The Mass Psychology of Fascism' and Cavani's 'The Night Porter' as influences.
- McCarthy is experimenting with AI but only at a basic level.
- Bowman Hal is part of the SOLO CONTEMPORARY project by Spanish collectors.
- The exhibition is produced in collaboration with Hauser & Wirth.
Entities
Artists
- Paul McCarthy
- Lilith Stangenberg
- William Mackinnon
- Aaron Johnson
- Siro Cugusi
- Liliana Cavani
- Wilhelm Reich
Institutions
- Bowman Hal
- SOLO CONTEMPORARY
- SOLO Indipendencia
- SOLO CSV
- Hauser & Wirth
- Artribune
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- Salt Lake City
- United States
- Los Angeles
- Parco del Retiro
- Cuesta de San Vicente
- Palazzo Reale