Paul McCarthy
White Snow
November 4–December 24, 2009

Opening Reception: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 6–8 pm

Hauser & Wirth
32 East 69th Street
New York

Hauser & Wirth New York presents White snow, a group of never before seen pieces from a new body of work by Paul McCarthy, drawing upon the famous 19th century German folk tale 'Snow White' ('Schneewittchen') and commenting upon the modern interpretation of the story in Disney's beloved 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

White Snow comprises two sets of drawings made by the artist since late 2008. The first is a selection of diminutive black and white pencil works as detailed, atmospheric and unapologetically lovely as Old Master drawings. Here, McCarthy develops his characters - the young Snow White masturbating in a solitary romantic reverie, various phallic-nosed dwarfs in a dither at the arrival of the beautiful stranger in their midst - as players in a sly yet poignant coming-of-age narrative packing a metaphorical wallop. The images touch upon myriad dark associations invited by the Snow White tale while simultaneously suggesting a love story with profound personal resonance for the artist.

Paul McCarthy, [White Snow] Dwarf Heads (detail), 2009, Set of 7 drawings; pencil on vellum, tape.