Cary Leibowitz
Cary Leibowitz (b. 1963, New York, NY). Cary Leibowitz, who rose to fame in the 1990s under the moniker “Candy Ass,” makes bold, self-effacing artworks that comment on the contemporary art market, kitsch, Jewish identity, and queerness. Though Leibowitz embraces a range of styles, his practice—which spans painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and other pursuits—almost always features text. His childish scrawl is by turns confessional, irreverent, satirical, and poignant. Leibowitz lambastes the politics of the art world and his own neuroses, making pieces that nonetheless connect with anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider. He has exhibited in New York, Stockholm, Berlin, London, Paris, and Los Angeles, among other cities. His work belongs in the collections of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Jewish Museum, and the Peter and Eileen Norton Collection.