Oscar de Mejo, the Naive Surrealist: The Naive Surrealist

Beneath the surface charm of de Mejo's ingenuous, brightly colored paintings lie the wit and malice of a merciless critic of human foibles and pretensions. The manic irreverence of Ferocious Dog Interrupts Outdoor Dancing Party, the hilarious comedy of manners in Professor of Etiquette, the biting social realism of Omaha Coeds and Big City Blues all attest to a mordant observer of the human comedy. In his extroverted autobiographical aketch, the Italian-born artist, who has lived in the U.S. since the 1940s, discusses his career, his interest in the occult and the I Ching and his fondness for painting scenes from American history. Morgan, contributing editor to Arts magazine , makes an interesting case for de Mejo as a ``naive surrealist'' who conjures a dreamland released from the shackles of the repressive ego. (June)