Palookaville 25

The semi-periodical look into the expansive art practice of an acclaimed cartoonist

Palookaville 25 houses three benchmark projects from the artistic practice of cartoonist and New Yorker cover artist Seth (Clyde Fans). His highly-acclaimed memoir "Nothing Lasts" returns. A wave farewell to his youth and a love letter to Toronto in the 1980s, this installment of his memoir caps off his teenage years and the budding romance at the Cove Inn, and sees Seth setting off for the big city where he moves to attend art school.

Showcasing Seth’s fine-art practice, Palookaville 25 also includes a photo essay about the creation of "Living Room Suite," his bronze sculpture installation in Guelph. Through text and photographs, Seth documents early pieces in the same series, followed by maquettes of the sculpture, photos showing the fabrication process, and then, finally, a series of photos showing the completed installation.

Lastly, the life and death of post-humorously renowned Dominion painter Owen Moore is told through comics in ten episodes. Originally serialized in The Walrus, this is the first time the story has been collected. Pages from the original sketchbook version and the final art are presented in pairs, revealing Seth’s process to readers.

A rarity in the world of publishing, Seth’s Palookaville series has become an ongoing monograph of sorts, a deep look into an idiosyncratic mind, and a survey of a singular artist’s multifaceted output.