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The younger brother of a guitarist and songwriter for legendary punk band Black Flag, Raymond Pettibon's early history is grounded in the Los Angeles underground music scene. As part of this subculture, Pettibon began to draw graphic, comic-inspired imagery for zines, band fliers, and album artwork.

Pettibon's distinct style combines drawing and text for poetic — and often acerbic — commentary on American pop culture writ large, striking a chord in particular with counterculturally minded youth of the era. Among the impressive roster of bands that have commissioned the artist for album covers are Sonic Youth, Black Flag, and the Minutemen.

After his first gallery show in 1984, Pettibon continued to gain recognition beyond the locus of the SoCal punk scene. He was notably included in Paul Schimmel's 1992 Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles exhibition, Helter Skelter: L.A. Art in the 1990s. Just one year later, Pettibon's work was featured in the Whitney Biennial.