The Chicago Imagists

The Chicago Imagists were a group of innovative artists in the 1960s and 1970s based in Chicago. They are known for their bold, colorful, and often fantastical artwork that draws inspiration from pop culture, comic books, and outsider art. Their style combines surrealism, humor, and a love for the grotesque, challenging traditional fine art norms. Key figures include Jeff Koons, Jim Nutt, and Ray Yoshida. The Imagists celebrated individual expression and rejected mainstream artistic conventions, making their work both provocative and visually striking, and helping to shape the city's vibrant art scene.