Saturated colors, distorted faces, cartoon-like atmospheres, and unruly energy: this is the visual universe of Kenny Scharf, the focus of a spectacular retrospective at the Modern Art Museum in Shanghai, open until September 27. Titled Emotional, the exhibition spans fifty years of the American artist’s career - a key figure of the 1980s New York scene alongside Basquiat and Haring. Over 120 works - including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and installations - trace a creative journey that, beneath its playful pop aesthetic, delves deeply into emotional expression. The exhibition unfolds in six themed areas, each devoted to a core emotion: from anger to awe, passing through sadness and joy. At the heart of the show is the Beach Club, an immersive installation that recreates a psychedelic California beach, where the boundary between art and life melts away. Emotional reveals the layered vision of an artist who foresaw the visual language of emojis and digital communication, giving shape and color to the timeless human need to express what we feel - without saying a word.
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