Artist George Condo, the mad man of American painting (as profiled in our November issue), in his studio in Manhattan
Artist George Condo, the mad man of American painting (as profiled in our November issue), in his studio in Manhattan
(Image credit: Matthu Placek)

Looking at painter George Condo's work - imaginary portraits of twisted figures; couples in the throws of feral sex; Elizabeth II with a carrot through her head - you might think he's a man well acquainted with pain. But the artist seems more a man of healthy appetites. He likes the casino, a good lunch and a good red wine, but above all he loves to paint. 'I get antsy when I'm taken away from my work.'

Some of Condo's abundant output is, at long last, have an outing in London. A collection of his recent drawings launched last week during Frieze Art Fair at the Mayfair gallery Sprüth Magers, whose co-founder Monika Sprüth has represented the artist since 1983. The show coincides with a major retrospective opening at London's Hayward Gallery on 18 October. Called 'Mental States', it's the first Condo retrospective to go on tour; earlier this year it premiered at the New Museum in New York.

The recognition is not before its time. It's not that Condo, 53, is underrated as such (his work currently sells for an average of $450,000 a piece), but as a contemporary painter of incredible talent and technique, he's never hit the starry heights. 'In Europe, people are more hip to my work,' says Condo, who's been represented by Monika Sprüth since 1983. 'But my work is a reflection of the culture in the US, and they don't like to see their culture in a denigrated and demolished form.'

In 1982, when Condo decided it was OK to be a painter (after all, Keith Haring, Julian Schnabel and Jean-Michel Basquiat were doing the rounds), he needed to find a position. So while others were finding their USP in graffiti and smashed plates, Condo took up with the Old Masters, forensically examining and learning their methods, from Rembrandt to Picasso, and then creating something entirely his own.

Condo, who collaborated on a book with William Burroughs and used to hang out with Allen Ginsberg, recently worked with Kanye West, creating the cover for his album 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'. After listening to the same song 3,000 times, Condo came up with 'eight or nine' paintings. West chose one of a black man straddled by a monstrous white female with wings and a long, spotty tail. 'People look at my paintings and think I'm insane,' muses Condo. 'But the audience catches up with your work in the end.' The end, it seems, has finally arrived.

Condo's drawings are at Sprüth Magers, London, from 12 October to 12 November. 'Mental States' is at the Hayward Gallery from 18 October to 8 January

Condo’s sculptures are inspired by the methodology of the Old Masters

Condo’s sculptures are inspired by the methodology of the Old Masters

(Image credit: Matthu Placek)

This month his drawings are on show at Sprüth Magers London, including ’Not yet titled’ (pictured) from 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers Berlin London

This month his drawings are on show at Sprüth Magers London, including ’Not yet titled’ (pictured) from 2011

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers Berlin London)

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers)

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ (detail) by George Condo, 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ (detail) by George Condo, 2011

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers)

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers)

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers)

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011 Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers

At Sprüth Magers: ’Not yet titled’ by George Condo, 2011

(Image credit: Courtesy of the artist and Sprüth Magers)

Alongside the Sprüth Magers exhibition, Condo has a retrospective of his work showing at London’s Hayward Gallery, titled ’Mental States’. Among the works in the exhibition is ’Jesus’ (pictured) from 2002 From the collection of Nancy and Robert Magoon.

Alongside the Sprüth Magers exhibition, Condo has a retrospective of his work showing at London’s Hayward Gallery, titled ’Mental States’. Among the works in the exhibition is ’Jesus’ (pictured) from 2002
From the collection of Nancy and Robert Magoon.

(Image credit: Image courtesy of Luhring Augustine)

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Portrait of a Woman’ by George Condo, 2002 From a private collection, London.

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Portrait of a Woman’ by George Condo, 2002. From a private collection, London.

(Image credit: Image courtesy of Luhring Augustine)

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Uncle Joe’ by George Condo, 2005 From a private collection, courtesy of Simon Lee Gallery.

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Uncle Joe’ by George Condo, 2005
From a private collection.

(Image credit: Image courtesy Luhring Augustine)

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Pop Queen’, 2006

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Pop Queen’, 2006

(Image credit: Image courtesy of Simon Lee Gallery, London)

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Couple on Blue Striped Chair’, 2005 From a private collection, courtesy of Simon Lee Gallery.

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Couple on Blue Striped Chair’, 2005
From a private collection, courtesy of Simon Lee Gallery. 

(Image credit: courtesy of Luhring Augustine)

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Batman and Bunny’, 2005

At the Hayward Gallery: ’Batman and Bunny’, 2005

(Image credit: courtesy of Luhring Augustine)