Carl Barks’ Uncle Scrooge at Art Basel

So, do you remember the classic Uncle Scrooge story by Carl Barks, ‘Statuesque Spendthrifts’ (1952/W WDC 138-02)? It’s the story in which Uncle Scrooge is competing with the Maharadja of Howdoyoustan to see how rich they are by building gigantic statues in the landscape around Duckburg.

The classic comic story inspired artist Allen Ruppersberg to cut out the small comic drawings and blow them up. Just like in the comic.

I love the execution of this playful and funny idea. This installation was exhibited in 2010 in the Greene Naftali gallery in New York, and went to Europe for the Art Basel in June.