When Kurt Cobain appeared at the MTV Awards in 1992 sporting a t-shirt featuring a cartoon image of a frog alongside the phrase 'Hi, How Are You' it prompted a trajectory of unwanted fame for a man possessed of a similarly fearless talent.

That frog, incidentally, is called Jeremiah, and has since become the most recognisable creation of troubled musician and artist Daniel Johnston. Representing pure innocence and the struggle of maintaining a childlike sense of wonder in a corrupt world, the human figure with amphibious features is an apt metaphor for the Texan who has struggled with manic depression from an early age.

From the release of his first album 'Songs of Pain' in 1981 to his inclusion in the Whitney Biennial in 2006, Johnston's work has inspired audiences and led to collaborations with the likes of Yo La Tengo, Jad Fair, Butthole Surfers and Sonic Youth.

Although the image made famous by Cobain is oddly absent from this first UK retrospective of Johnston's work from 1981 to 2006, others including Love Is A Beautiful Thing - which depicts a smiling Jeremiah standing next to mother and father type figures - are deeply emotive and striking in their simplicity.

Johnston's portrayal of the darker side of humanity is represented most effectively in the multi-eyed beast Vile Corrupt who is depicted torturing the innocent and lusting after women, with the likes of Get Away From Me Frog Lips personifying Johnston's frustration, but also offering a chivalrous admiration for the female form.

Delivering his critique on good and evil through an ever evolving mythological universe made up of characters from his childhood passion for superheroes, Godzilla, King Kong and Bible stories, It's A Beautiful Life offers a rare and rewarding insight into a distinctly unique mind.

It's A Beautiful Life runs at Alt.Galley, Newcastle until 10 November

www.altgallery.org