Yowl into the Night

Predators and Prey

"SHAG" Josh Agle 

Predators and Prey 

Acrylic on canvas 

35" x 96"

2012

SHAG is an illustrator, painter, and designer based in southern California. There lives with his wife and children. Though he very much considers Palm Springs his second home, and in fact is a large supporter of the city and has his own store there, The Shag Store. His style greatly dirives from commercial illustration from the past five decades, his paints being more stage scenery and his subjects always in lavish environments. He also has his own Disneyland collection, and has had several shows around the world. 

"Soon the gorgeous furniture, the lime green carpeting, the sculptures and the paintings will be covered in gore. The indoor rivers and fountains will turn pink from the blood of the helpless prey, who will have met their demises willingly, slightly tipsy from the Screwdrivers and Vodka Tonics. "

Predators and Prey is part of SHAG's Animal Kingdom show, held at the Corey Helford Gallery. Drawing on SHAG's usual preference of mid-20th century modern architecture, indifferent women, hedonists, and supplicants. The pieces of Animal Kingdom, which includes Predators and Prey, showcases women and men as animals, or at least with some of the features of those animals in situations where you might use a phrase involving animals. Such as this one, with the predatory women, and men who are their prey. 

I have seen SHAG art my entire life thanks to my aunt Kathy, who was an avid fan of his work. And so I have also seen the cats he's drawn and I've always loved them. Choosing something from SHAG was more on a personal level for me. His art is very out there, very stylized, but very rich in detail and depth behind the piece. I specifically chose this piece, out of all the pieces SHAG has that involves cats because of its wild nature. These aren't just women trying to snag themselves a man for a date, these are women ready to strike and kill. Sure, they might look tame, but there is always the wild inside of every cat, and woman in this case.