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karl wirsum
was an american artist born in chicago in 1939. he died in may 2021 at the age of 81. karl wirsum was a member of the chicago artistic group the hairy who, and helped set the foundation for chicago's art scene in the 1970s. he was primarily a painter, but also worked with prints, sculpture, and even digital art. early life and education karl wirsum studied at the school of the art institute of chicago (saic) and was the first of the ha…
The Lifeline
Scroll through karl wirsum's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups karl wirsum's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.
