Archive
Less Bad
Karl Haendel
About
Less Bad explores various themes, from intimate experiences like fatherhood, love, friendship, and loss to broader issues such as tenderness, masculinity, introspection, and vulnerability. Haendel's exploration of masculinity is particularly significant and personal, challenging stereotypical definitions by emphasizing vulnerability, intimacy, and friendship.This site-specific exhibition created by the artist is organized in collaboration with Executive Director Aldy Milliken and Dr. Andrea Gyorody, director of the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University.
Artist Karl Haendel’s commitment to traditional drawing techniques in an era of digital dominance is both a technical choice and a conceptual statement. His process, marked by a deliberate pace, invites viewers to engage deeply with each piece, fostering a slower, more contemplative approach to art appreciation.
Less Bad refers to the artist’s use of self-deprecating humor as a versatile comedic approach that involves poking fun at oneself instead of others, all the while delivering a message about trying to be a better human. The work invites viewers to slow down, look closely, and engage deeply at the crossroads of art, society, and personal experience.
Karl Haendel (b. 1976, New York) is a Los Angeles-based artist known for his drawing-based practice. He earned a BFA from Brown University (1998), attended the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and completed his MFA at UCLA (2003).
His work has been featured in major biennials and institutional exhibitions, including the 2023 Whitney Biennial, 12th Biennale de Lyon, and shows at MOCA Denver, The Drawing Center, Philbrook Museum, and Castello di Rivoli. Recent solo and group exhibitions include Susanne Vielmetter Projects (2023), Mitchell-Innes & Nash (2022), Wentrup Gallery (2022), and Sommer Contemporary Art (2021).
Haendel’s work is held in public collections at institutions such as MOCA Los Angeles, MoMA New York, and the Guggenheim Museum.
Exhibition Programming
