Museum Displays World-Class Traveling Exhibition

The exhibition, Crazy World Ain’t It: The Art of John Van Hamersveld, features approximately 70 works of a California-based artist and graphic designer whose work has had a major impact on surfing culture, music, and graphic design for more than 60 years. The artwork will be on display at the Carlsbad Museum until August 8. An opportunity to meet the artist is planned to be part of the closing reception.

“I think many visitors will discover that they already have a connection to Van Hamersveld’s work, even if they do not immediately recognize his name,” said Edward VanScotter, Director of Carlsbad Museum. “His art has been part of surfing culture, music, advertising, and popular culture for generations,” he said.

VanScotter said Van Hamersveld first gained recognition for creating the iconic poster for the 1964 surfing documentary, The Endless Summer. “The poster became one of the most recognizable images in surfing culture and helped popularize the sport worldwide,” he said.

Van Hamersveld’s career in music and entertainment design included serving as Art Director for Capitol Records, said VanScotter. “Throughout his career, he created artwork for hundreds of album covers, concert posters, and promotional materials, working with artists including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Blondie, Kiss, and many others,” he said.

Known for bold colors, strong graphic shapes, and visual energy, VanScotter said, Van Hamerveld’s style helped define the look of surfing culture and rock music during the 1960s and continues to influence artists and designers today.

“A significant portion of the exhibition also explores Van Hamersveld’s lifelong connection to surfing and the ocean,” said VanScotter. He said the artist was a surfer himself and later became a graphic designer for Surfer Magazine. “Ocean waves appear throughout the exhibition, from graphic works to large-scale paintings, and it is clear that surfing has remained a major source of inspiration throughout his career.”

Van Hamersveld’s art extended into popular culture, said VanScotter, who explained that one of the works in the exhibition was commissioned by the surf wear company Billabong, which used it on its products.

“One of the things I enjoy most about this exhibition is how approachable it is. Not everyone regularly visits art museums or collects traditional fine art, but almost everyone has a favorite album, concert poster, or piece of graphic design that has stayed with them throughout their life,” said VanScotter.

Sharing the view that album covers are among the first pieces of art people own and connect with, VanScotter said that, when growing up, his dad had a large collection of classic rock records. “I remember sitting on the floor as a kid, flipping through album covers, studying the artwork, and listening to the music. Some of those images are still burned into my memory today,” he said.

Identifying one reason this exhibition resonates with him, VanScotter said, “John Van Hamersveld’s career intersected with many of the artists whose records filled my dad’s shelves.”

Some of the work he mentioned includes the album cover design for The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour and Van Hamersveld’s contribution to the design and packaging of The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St., which he said is one of rock music’s most celebrated albums.

“What I think makes this exhibition particularly unique is that it does not just show finished artwork,” said VanScotter. He explained that one of his favorite aspects of the exhibition is that visitors get to see the creative process behind many of the works.

The exhibits include sketches, studies, proofs, and finished pieces side by side. “A great example is Van Hamersveld’s ‘Composer Series,’ which features stylized portraits of Mozart, Beethoven, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan,” said VanScotter. “Alongside the finished prints, visitors can also see his original sketches—many created with Sharpie on paper—which give a fascinating look at how these works developed from simple drawings into finished pieces,” he said.

“Whether someone is interested in art, music, design, or surfing culture, there is something here that will connect with them,” said VanScotter, encouraging everyone to stop by and experience the exhibition themselves. He also said to be on the lookout for the announcement of the August closing reception, where the artist will be present.

“We are proud to bring exhibitions of this caliber to Carlsbad, and just as importantly, admission to the museum is always free,” said VanScotter. “We want these experiences to be accessible to everyone in our community,” he said.