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A Curiously Sinister Book

Jim Flora BookIt’s really difficult for me to put into words the work of Jim Flora. There’s just something about Flora’s iconoclastic artwork that makes it hard to define for the viewer. Irwin Chusid did a commendable job with 2004′s The Mischievous Art of Jim Flora, a book filled to the brim with Flora’s brilliant colors, insanely twisted characters, and eye-boggling wonders. But one book was not enough for Chusid. Oh no — see, Jim Flora was a very prolific artist and accumulated a vast library of eye-jazz. So I’m very happy to say that Chusid (along with co-author Barbara Economon) is at it again: The Curiously Sinister Art of Jim Flora. Whereas the first book focused primarily on Flora’s commerical work from the 40′s and 50′s, Sinister shifts the focus to the personal side. From the Fantagraphics catalog entry:

Flora was prolific in his commercial work; he created art privately in equal measure — and often with more fiendish pleasure. His style is cartoonish, evoking childhood nostalgia and dereliction of adult responsibility. There are clowns and kitty cats, grinning faces and beaming suns. But Flora did not restrain his darker impulses. His montages are crammed with bullets and knives and fang-baring snakes. Muggers run amok, demons frolic with rouged harlots, and Flora’s characters suffer – that is, are afflicted by the artist with — severe disfigurement. The banal and the violent often coexist within inches of each other on the canvas.

Unfortunately, we have to wait until January of 2007 to have our grubby little hands on this sinister volume. So, until then, count me in.

UPDATE: Amazon now has a page for this book. You can now order it HERE.

  • Sam

    I’m so glad to see the sudden interest in Flora’s work. His visual language has been so influential, and has become so pervasive. However, a lot of people(myself included) are only now beginning to learn about him and his incredible influence on contemporary illustration. What a superstar.

  • Sam

    I’m so glad to see the sudden interest in Flora’s work. His visual language has been so influential, and has become so pervasive. However, a lot of people(myself included) are only now beginning to learn about him and his incredible influence on contemporary illustration. What a superstar.

  • http://www.vonster.com/ Vonster

    Flora’s work has captivated me since I was kid and saw it on my parents old big band LP’s.

    Years ago I was able to talk to his son who showed me several of Flora’s paintins later in his life that neither the first book nor I assume the later will show? They certainly were not sinister at least. He painted ships and boats but would have them on end jetting up into the sky like a building. You’d never guess it was his art compared to what most people think of when they hear Jim Flora.

    I’ll have to go pre-order this puppy like I did the last one at Amazon. Giddy Up!

  • http://www.vonster.com Vonster

    Flora’s work has captivated me since I was kid and saw it on my parents old big band LP’s.

    Years ago I was able to talk to his son who showed me several of Flora’s paintins later in his life that neither the first book nor I assume the later will show? They certainly were not sinister at least. He painted ships and boats but would have them on end jetting up into the sky like a building. You’d never guess it was his art compared to what most people think of when they hear Jim Flora.

    I’ll have to go pre-order this puppy like I did the last one at Amazon. Giddy Up!

  • http://elnegromagnifico.blogspot.com/ Al aka El Negro Magnifico

    I’d love to cop that. I haven’t got Irwin’s first one yet. Flora was truly an original.

  • http://elnegromagnifico.blogspot.com Al aka El Negro Magnifico

    I’d love to cop that. I haven’t got Irwin’s first one yet. Flora was truly an original.

  • wry cooter

    Would you be so kind as to repost this article after an ISBN has been assigned, so that we may actually purchase it?

    Oh, and include the ISBN in the text of the post please, when you do.

  • wry cooter

    Would you be so kind as to repost this article after an ISBN has been assigned, so that we may actually purchase it?

    Oh, and include the ISBN in the text of the post please, when you do.

  • http://wardomatic.blogspot.com/ Ward

    Wry, here are the two ISBN numbers the book has been assigned to:

    ISBN-10: 1-56097-805-8
    ISBN-13: 978-1-56097-805-3

    Other details:
    $28.95 paperback
    164 pages, full-color, 11″x10″

  • http://wardomatic.blogspot.com Ward

    Wry, here are the two ISBN numbers the book has been assigned to:

    ISBN-10: 1-56097-805-8
    ISBN-13: 978-1-56097-805-3

    Other details:
    $28.95 paperback
    164 pages, full-color, 11″x10″

  • http://summeroliday.blogspot.com/ rikki

    i love this style, so bold and retro

  • http://summeroliday.blogspot.com rikki

    i love this style, so bold and retro

  • http://wardomatic.blogspot.com/ Ward

    Considering that it’s from the mid-century, I wouldn’t call it ‘retro.’ But, yes, I love Flora’s style, too. He was amazing.

  • http://wardomatic.blogspot.com Ward

    Considering that it’s from the mid-century, I wouldn’t call it ‘retro.’ But, yes, I love Flora’s style, too. He was amazing.

  • http://worldofkane.blogspot.com/ Will Kane

    “Considering that it’s from the mid-century, I wouldn’t call it ‘retro.’”

    Yes, it’s more ‘Now-tro’ to quote ‘A Mighty Wind’.

    It’d be nice if Fantagraphics actually had the first book in print too. It’s been ‘Waiting for publisher reprint’ for about a year now.

  • http://worldofkane.blogspot.com Will Kane

    “Considering that it’s from the mid-century, I wouldn’t call it ‘retro.’”

    Yes, it’s more ‘Now-tro’ to quote ‘A Mighty Wind’.

    It’d be nice if Fantagraphics actually had the first book in print too. It’s been ‘Waiting for publisher reprint’ for about a year now.

  • Kent

    thanks so much for this post about Flora. I love his work.
    I’ve searched ebay high & low and purchased several old LP’s that he designed the covers. They are classic. I can’t wait for this book…

  • Kent

    thanks so much for this post about Flora. I love his work.
    I’ve searched ebay high & low and purchased several old LP’s that he designed the covers. They are classic. I can’t wait for this book…

  • http://drawn.ca/2006/06/21/jim-flora-week-on-ti/ Drawn! The Illustration and Cartooning Blog » Blog Archive » Jim Flora Week on TI

    [...] Irwin Chusid is the author/editor (with Barbara Economon) of The Mischievous Art of Jim Flora and the forthcoming Curiously Sinister Art of Jim Flora (previously mentioned here), both on Fantagraphics. You can contact Irwin at info [at] jimflora [dot] com. [...]

  • http://drawn.ca/?p=1442 Drawn! The Illustration and Cartooning Blog » Blog Archive » The Day the Cow Sneezed

    [...] Drawn’s own Ward Jenkins has posted a fantastic write up about Jim Flora’s children’s book The Day the Cow Sneezed on his own blog. Included in his post, Ward has posted both the final illustrations that appear in the book and a rare treat- the original mock ups that Flora created for the pages, compliments of Flora biographer Irwin Chusid. While the side-by-side comparison of the two is both inspiring and intriguing, Ward goes on to offer more insight into the individual spreads, as well as how he came to own his own copy of this rare literary gem. This is a must read for any fan of illustration and/or design. [...]