"Party in Venice" Satirical Drawing by Michael Dormer

This panoramic original drawing by artist Michael Dormer is a tender and nostalgic portrait of California surf and counterculture in the 1960s, capturing the unique personalities that populated the scene. Known for creating “Hot Curl,” a six-foot, potbellied surfer statue that became a fixture on Windansea Beach in La Jolla, Dormer established a visual icon for the “Kustom Kulture” movement and Lowbrow Art. Hot Curl, with his distinctive nose, rope belt holding up his baggies, and laid-back posture, embodied the irreverent spirit of California surf culture alongside other icons like Rick Griffin’s Murphy and Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s Rat Fink.

In this work, Dormer uses a continuous format like an unfolding story to present a beach fresco filled with a humorous cast of eclectic characters. From left to right, we see a man raising his glass with a shark thrown over his shoulder as if he was casually holding a sack of potatoes, a curvy woman with her back turned to us, a couple engaged in a “Caliente” embrace amid a party of laughter, drinking, and celebration. In this gallery, where nothing seems to restrain this excessive spontaneity, we notice the lower body of a dancer in bikini balancing on the table, a beatnik strumming his guitar, nearby are a surfer with his board, a mermaid, a monkey, and a sinister and “out of frame” man in sunglasses, a black suit and a classical Fedora– a mixture of eccentricity, playful irreverence that captures the trends and the libertarian mood of the time.

No matter how often you study this piece, you will spot another character engaged in a humorous or unexpected scene. Each figure studies individual idiosyncrasies and cultural archetypes, reinforcing the unrestrained spirit that defined the era. Dormer’s observational skills and satirical edge transform these figures into enduring representations of an era, offering a playful yet contemplative look at the boundless people who shaped the surf and beatnik lifestyle.

We propose this rare 1960 piece, framed and featuring a signature in the upper right margin. The iconic “Hot Curl” mention also appears on the surfboard.1935 - 2012) Michael Dormer was an American fine artist, writer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and creator of the 1960s TV show Shrimpenstein. His body of work is so vast that it would be more interesting for you to go on Wikipedia.

REFERENCE NUMBER: LU654314783042
PERIOD: Mid 20th Century
CONDITION: Excellent
MEASUREMENTS: Height: 7" Width: 26.75" Depth: 1.5"
COUNT: 1
MATERIAL: Mixed Media, Watercolor, Pencil
CREATOR: Michael Dormer