Ed Paschke (American, 1939-2004) Cobmaster, 1975

Oil on canvasĀ  74" x 50"

Ed Paschke was fascinated by the underbelly of society. As a young man he sought out situations that would expose him to the elements of society most of us are curious about but do not wish to experience directly. He frequented nightclubs and made paintings of strippers, pimps, and prostitutes. Additionally, the worlds of wrestling and carnival sideshows provided inspiration for his work.

Never literal in his approach, Paschke often translated what he saw by creating composite images. In the tradition of Surrealism which juxtaposes unlikely objects to create disturbing new meanings, Paschke admitted to have been captivated by "incongruous things that would have shock value."

Cobmaster is a performer, part male, part female whose oversized grin, braided hair and sunglasses suggest racial stereotypes but whose brilliantly colored blue face immediately mocks those very stereotypes. Wearing a highly patterned costume and ruffled clown collar perhaps a metaphor for the masquerade of role playing, Cobmaster is set against a psychedelic-like background. In this outrageous, disquieting painting, Paschke acting as a social critic powerfully confronts our assumptions about gender, sexual identity and race.

-Suellen Rocca, Curator 10/09

1977 photo of Ed Paschke in his studio by Sandra Jorgensen, Elmhurst University Art Collection.

Ed Paschke: On His Painting Process, MCA 1981

Highlights of the Elmhurst University Art Collection
  1. History of the Elmhurst University Art Collection
  2. In Memory of Suellen Rocca 1943-2020 Curator of the Art Collection and Director of Exhibitions, Elmhurst University
  3. Roger Brown ( American, 1941-1997) See Seven Cities, 1971
  4. William Conger (American, b. 1938) South Beach 1985
  5. Richard Hunt (American, b. 1935) Over Wisdom Bridge, 1986
  6. Miyoko Ito (American, 1918-1983) Chinoiserie, 1970
  7. Sandra Jorgensen (American 1934-1999) Herb's Texaco II,1983
  8. Paul LaMantia (American b. 1928) Shoe Shine, 1971
  9. Gladys Nilsson (American, b. 1940) In Vertical Shade, 1984
  10. Jim Nutt (American, born 1938) Toot-Toot Woo-Woo,1970
  11. Ed Paschke (American, 1939-2004) Cobmaster, 1975
  12. Frank Piatek (American, born 1944) Notre Dame Sheela Rite of Passage/Entry Eye of the Needle, 1969
  13. Christina Ramberg (1946-1995) Double Hesitation,1977
  14. Suellen Rocca (American, 1943-2020) Passed,1988
  15. Eleanor Spiess-Ferris (American, b. 1941) The Red Shoe, 1983
  16. Karl Wirsum (American, b.1939) "Click", 1971
  17. Ray Yoshida (1930-2009 ) Arbitrary Approach, 1983