By Dan Nadel
COMIC BOOK AR-FIST In the middle of the last century, an unremarkable shipping clerk in Chicago named Frank Johnson quietly chronicled his own vision of American life in a series of comics created for his own entertainment. Contained in twenty-eight skillfully drawn notebooks that begin in adolescence and end in old age, his work delineates a world of loyal friends, adventure, and surreal comedy. Its depth of feeling, accomplished cartooning, and private nature make it unique in both comic and folk art. WALLY'S GANG, Book 118,1946 Frank Johnson (1912-1979) Chicago All works private collection. Photography by Tony Cenicola, courtesy Carl Hammer Gallery, Chicago. 1946
SUMMER 2005
FOLK ART
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