Carl Goldhagen

Carl Goldhagen is a leading contemporary painter known for his colourful cartoon style. The artist grew up in the suburbs north of Washington DC and takes inspiration from the energetic distortions of city life and the ‘comic-book package’ dream of American success.

Carl Goldhagen's Early Career

Carl received a Bachelor of Art from San Diego State University and a Master of Fine Art from the University of Cincinnati. Carl taught at Brooklyn College and Salisbury University on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and maintained a studio in NYC for forty years. He now lives on the Eastern Shore in Girdletree, Maryland.

Artistic Process

Bringing together elements of late 20th-Century Abstraction and Figurative Art influences, Carl parodies daily life at home and at large in the States. His scenes, which often play with framing and light geometry, slyly critique the nature of power and the American Dream. His portraits gleam with sweetness and pathos. And yet, Carl nevertheless places tokens, symbols and expressions throughout, pointing to darker narratives of social pressure, cultural claustrophobia, and failure.

Exhibitions and Collections

Carl has exhibited his work in Chicago, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Berlin, Amsterdam, St. Louis, and Minneapolis. He has participated in various gallery shows in New York City, including Rosa Esman, Graham Modern, Annina Nosei, Grace Borgenicht, Elga Wimmer, and Paula Cooper Gallery. Numerous corporate and private collections have included his works.