Raymond Pettibon came to light in the 1980's in America during the punk rock scene.  He made work that highlighted the highs and lows of the US culture.  His work addresses various issues that were going on at the time like the Manson family murders, the general attitude to drugs etc.  I admire him because he addressed various issues through simple imagery that meant a lot.  This is what I strive to do in my own practice.  Here's some of his work.