Larry Wessel b. Torrance, CA (USA) 1957


The impact of Larry Wessel's style can be seen everywhere from the advertising campaigns of Madison Avenue, to the proliferation of 'Reality Television.'

Larry is known for his original, colorful and highly graphic collages. His artwork has been exhibited at museums and galleries including the Laguna Art Museum, La Luz de Jesus, Mark Moore Gallery, and Outré Gallery. Collectors of his collages include Adam Parfrey, Nick Bougas, Anton Szandor LaVey, Coop, Rev. Steven Johnson Leyba, Martin McIntosh and Johanna Went.

Wessel's collages have also appeared in the pages of magazines such as HUSTLER, Answer Me!, CHIC and MALEFACT, and Martin McIntosh's books Taboo: The Art Of Tiki and Beatsville, as well as the cover of Adam Parfrey's Cult Rapture & Gene Gregorits's Midnight Mavericks.

In addition to collage, Larry Wessel is well known for his extensive documentary film work. He produces, directs, writes, shoots and edits profoundly twisted and provocative video work. Bloody bullfights, cool artists, obsessed collectors, way-out writers, the transgender underground and the dark side of Los Angeles, are just a few of the subjects of this wild man's throught-provoking documentaries. Academic discussions of Wessel's films can be found in the books Killing For Culture, by David Kerekes and David Slater, and Psychotropedia by Russ Kick. Interviews with Larry Wessel have appeared in numerous publications, such as Headpress and PANIK, as well as the book Sex & Guts 4, by Gene Gregorits and Lydia Lunch and the book MIDNIGHT MAVERICKS by Gene Gregorits.


Filmography of Larry Wessel:

1968 - The Black Glove - Director

1972 - The Vulture Eye - Director

1974 - A Perfect Day For Bananafish - Director

1979 - The Bogey Man - Director

1979 - Watts Towers - Director

1979 - The Pike in October - Director

1980 - The House on the Strand - Director

1981 - Lust For Knife - Director

1994 – Taurobolium – Director

1995 – Carny Talk– Director

1995 – Sugar and Spice– Director

1996 – Ultramegalopolis– Director

1998 – Tattoo Deluxe – Director

1999 – Sex, Death, and The Hollywood Mystique– Director

1999 – Song Demo For a Helen Keller World– Director

2000 – Lip-Stick Liz – Director





Film Festivals:

1995 Taurobolium
Chicago Underground Film Festival, Chicago, Illinois.

1998 Ultramegalopolis
Clair-Obscur Film Festival, Basel, Switzerland

1999 Sugar and Spice
Clair-Obscur Film Festival, Basel, Switzerland

2000 Lip-Stick Liz
Twilight Trash Film Festival, Berlin, Germany

2000 Lip-Stick Liz
Clair-Obscur Film Festival, Basel, Switzerland

2000 Lip-Stick Liz
Nihilism Film Festival, Los Angeles, California

2001 The Bogey Man
Clair-Obscur Film Festival, Basel, Switzerland

2001 The Bogey Man
Nihilism Film Festival, Los Angeles, California

2001 Lip-Stick Liz
5 Minute Film Festival, Los Angeles, California

2002 Sex, Death and The Hollywood Mystique
Melbourne Underground Film Festival, Melbourne, Australia



Exhibitions:

2003 Outre Gallery, Mellbourne, AU. "Beatsville."

2000 La Luz de Jesus, Los Angeles, CA. "While You Were Sleeping."

1999 Outre Gallery, Melbourne, AU. "Taboo: The Art of Tiki."

1998 Mark Moore Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. "Hollywood Satan."

1997 Magic and Fetish Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. "Be My Valentine," solo exhibition.

1997 Rita Dean Gallery, "Sex and Subversion: Forbidden Art in the 90's"

1997 Georges, Los Angeles, "1st Annual Photo Derby."

1994 Center on Contemporary ARts, Seattle, WA. "Kustom Kulture."

1993 Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA. "Kustom Kulture."

1993 Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV. "The Lifestyles Third Annual Sensual & Erotic Art Exhibition."

1992 Cabalspace, Los Angeles, CA. "Creeple Peeple," solo exhibition.

1992 Arts Building Jr., Los Angeles, CA. "27."

1991 Cabalspace, Los Angeles, CA. 7 group exhibitions.

1991 Art and Barbie, Los Angeles, CA. 3 group exhibitions.

1990 La Luz de Jesus, Los Angeles, CA. 3 group exhibitions.

1990 La Luz de Jesus, Los Angeles, CA. "Tortures and Torments of The Christian Martyrs."

1990 Jabberjaw, Los Angeles, CA. "Yucky Secrets," solo exhibition.

1990 Combination of 3, San Pedro, "Yucky Secrets Too," solo exhibition.

1986 Sunkart, San Pedro, CA. "Wessel," solo exhibition.

1986 Playmates of Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA. "The Marinated Heart."

1985 EZTV, Los Angeles, CA. "Day of Infamy."



Bibliography:

1990 Collins, Michael. "The Gorey Gospel According to Father Larry".
Los Angeles Reader (July 27, 1990).

1991 Bolles, Don. "Built For Discomfort" (Local Heroes).
LA Weekly (Mar. 15, 1991).

1991 _________. "Best Coattails to Ride to Hell".
Downtown News (June 24, 1991).

1992 Schneider, Charles. "King of The B's".
CAD: A Handbook For Heels (Feral House, 1992).

1993 Parfrey, Adam. "HELL.A."
San Diego Reader (Nov. 18, 1993).

1994 Russo, Scott. "Taurobolium".
Film Threat Video Guide (vol. 2, issue 12, 1994).

1994 Boulware, Jack. "El Gore-O!"
The Nose (Nov./Dec., 1994).

1995 Gilmore, Peter H. "Taurobolium".
The Black Flame (vol.5 #s3&4, 1995).

1995 Kerekes, David and Slater, David. "Death Film: Babylon".
Killing For Culture: An Illustrated History of Death Film from Mondo to Snuff (Creation Books, 1995).

1995 Pierce, Dale. "Larry Wessel".
World of Fandom (vol.2, #24, 1995).

1995 Gilboa, Netta. "Taurobolium".
Gray Areas (vol.4, #1, Spring, 1995).

1995 Sherwood, Lyn. "Larry Wessel's Taurobolium".
Los Aficionados de Los Angeles (Oct. 1995).

1995 O'Donnell, Patrick. "Taurobolium".
Screem Magazine (#6, 1995).

1996 Barton, Blanche. "Wesselmania".
The Cloven Hoof (issue 128, 1996).

1996 Commondenominator, Lois. "Sugar and Spice".
Dragazine (Spring-Summer, 1996).

1996 Black, Art. "Carny Talk", "Tautobolium", "Sugar and Spice" and "Ultramegalopolis".
Psychotronic Video (#23, 1996).

1996 Lee, Jeri. "Sugar and Spice".
Transformation (Issue #12, 1996).

1996 Richards, Kymberleigh. "Sugar and Spice".
Cross-Talk (#80, June, 1996).

1996 Friedman, R. Seth. "Wesselmania".
Factsheet 5 (#60, 1996).

1996 Bookwalter, J.R. "Taurobolium".
Alternative Cinema (issue #9, 1996).

1996 Fellner, Chris. "Carny Talk" and "Sugar and Spice".
Freaks! (#5, 1996).

1997 Kerekes, David. "Interview with Larry Wessel".
Headpress (#14, 1997).

1997 Ward, Laura. "Carny Talk".
Juxtapoz (vol.3, #3, Summer, 1997).

1997 Kilgore, Charles. "Taurobolium".
Ecco: The World of Bizarre Video (#22, 1997).

1997 Puchalski, Steve. "Taurobolium" and "Carny Talk".
Shock Cinema (#11, 1997).

1997 Oley, T. "Taurobolium".
Eye (#13, 1997).

1998 Kick, Russ. "Taurobolium" and "Ultramegalopolis".
Psychotropedia (Critical Vision, 1998).

1998 Puchalski, Steve. "Ultramegalopolis".
Shock Cinema (#12, 1998).

1998 Wessel, Larry. "Sex, Death and The Hollywood Mystique".
Implosion (issue 9, 1998).

1999 Icon, Erica. "Taurobolium".
Coagula Art Journal (Issue #41, Sept., 1999).

1999 Sargeant, Jack. "The Art of Seeing With One's Own Eyes".
Fringecore (1999).

1999 McIntosh, Martin. "Larry Wessel".
Misanthrope 2 (1999).

1999 Kerekes, David. "Sex, Death and The Hollywood Mystique" and "Tattoo Deluxe".
Headpress (#19, 1999).

1999 Paradise, Matt G. "Tattoo Deluxe".
Not Like Most (Issue 8, 1999).

1999 Tin-ear, Rev. Randall. "Taurobolium", "Carny Talk", "Sugar and Spice", "Ultramegalopolis", "Tattoo Deluxe", and "Sex, Death and The Hollywood Mystique".
Angry Thoreauan (#25, 1999).

1999 Klepper, Robert K. "Sex, Death and the Hollywood Mystique".
Classic Images (August, 1999).

1999 Persons, Mitch. "Kerrine Elkins".
Femme Fetales (vol.7, #17, 1999).

2000 Puchalski, Steve. "Sex, Death and The Hollywood Mystique".
Shock Cinema (#15, 2000).

2000 Puchalski, Steve. "Song Demo For A Helen Keller World".
Shock Cinema (#17, Fall-Winter,2000).

2000 Pfouts, Chris. "Carny Talk".
International Tattoo Art (Jan.2000).

2000 Tin-ear, Rev. Randall. "Song Demo For A Helen Keller World".
Angry Thoreauan (#26, April, 2000).

2000 Gilmore, Peter H. "Tattoo Deluxe", "Sex, Death, and The Hollywood Mystique" and "Song Demo For a Helen Keller World".
The Black Flame (vol.6, #s3&4, 2000).

2001 Crites, Steve. "Sex, Death and The Hollywood Mystique" and "Ultramegalopolis".
Paniscus Revue (#7, 20010.

2001 Pizz, The. "Taurobolium".
Panik (vol.2,#1).

2001 Sargeant, Jack. "The Art of Seeing With One's Own Eyes".
Panik (vol.2, #2, Winter, 2001).

2002 Gregorits, Gene. "Save The Planet: Kill Yourself, A Conversation with Larry Wessel".
Sex and Guts 4 (Phony Lid, 2002).

1999 McIntosh, Martin. "Nightide."
Taboo: The Art of Tiki (Outre Gallery Press)

2000 Crites, Tom. "Art By Larry Wessel."
MALEFACT EIGHT.

2002 Crites, Tom. "Art By Larry Wessel."
MALEFACT NINE.

2003 McIntosh, Martin. "Midnight Cafe" and "Jean"
Beatsville (Outre Gallery Press)

2006 The Ghost,"Interview with Larry Wessel"

2006 MOLUSK (03)
encyclopedia de Bongoût, dec 2006

2006 ROCKSTAR magazine. "You Axed For It"

2007 Gregorits, Gene. "Save The Planet: Kill Yourself, A Conversation with Larry Wessel".
Midnight Mavericks (Fab Press).