Hyperallergic reviews Martin Wong's posthumous exhibition "Popeye" at PPOW gallery, featuring six motorized plywood panels that reimagine the cartoon character Popeye as curving brickwork. The show includes smaller works like "Sacred Shroud of Pepe Turcel" (1989–90) and paintings of vintage cartoon characters Mutt and Jeff, Little Lulu and Tubby, all rendered in Wong's signature brick style. The review highlights Wong's queer, magpie sensibility and his ability to cross boundaries between high and low culture.
The exhibition matters because it showcases Wong's unique artistic vision two decades after his death, demonstrating how he transformed ephemeral pop culture into monumental, architectural forms. His use of brick—inspired by 1970s downtown Manhattan—elevates discarded cartoon imagery into something permanent and epic, while his queer reinterpretation of macho characters like Popeye adds layers of cultural commentary. The show affirms Wong's lasting influence on contemporary art and his role in reimagining popular icons through a personal, idiosyncratic lens.