Ahwroo’s Vicious Origin Story

“Vicious is about primal urges. Wanting so much to the point of losing control. Not knowing how deeply you are inflicting pain on another person. Drawing Blood. Being bloodthirsty. Reflecting the beast inside of us.”

– Gary Baseman

The solo exhibition Vicious by Gary Baseman opened in 2012 at the Antonio Colombo Arte Contemporanea in Milan, Italy. Featuring a body of work based on the concept of hunger, over 30 drawings and paintings were produced specifically for this show. Vicious was also the fine art debut of ‘Ahwroo‘, one of the most celebrated characters in Baseman’s world.

Pronounced “ah-wrooo” like an animal howling, Ahwroo is a ferociously cute creature that wants attention and affection and draws blood if he doesn’t feel he’s getting any. Ahwroo is one of many characters created by Gary Baseman. He is not a monkey (so, please don’t call him one); his personality attributes are in fact closer to a werewolf’s. Since his introduction, Ahwroo has appeared in every facet of Baseman’s production including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and three-dimensional limited edition vinyl sculptures in collaboration with 3DRetro and a polystone figure with APPortfolio.

Stay tuned for more Ahwroo in 2020. Subscribe to get the latest from Gary Baseman!