MUSEUM MONDAYS - MARK RYDEN

I decided to take an art class at Pratt Institute this semester. Considering my foray back into creating art, submitting myself to formal art training again felt like the right thing to do. A few weeks ago in class, we discussed surrealism, delving into the works of Salvador Dali, Roberto Matta and my favorite, Frida Kahlo. As the class was winding down, the Professor offered some closing remarks, followed by a question. "Do any of you have any contemporary artists in mind who you feel were heavily influenced by surrealism?" No sooner had he asked it then I blurted out the name of one of my favorite painters, Mark Ryden. Read on for more ...

Mark Ryden is an American painter whose work ushered in a new genre of art called "pop surrealism". Like the surrealist painters before him who blurred the lines between dream and reality by juxtaposing seemingly disharmonious imagery, Ryden's paintings are a mash-up of compelling visuals. Employing both nostalgic innocence and esoteric mystery to make his statements, what dubbed Ryden as the "godfather of pop surrealism" is his generous usage of pop references. Among his favorite to use are Abraham Lincoln, who in his work tends to be emblematic of liberty and integrity, but also causes the viewer to question the scenarios he is placed in. Meat is another favorite reference of Ryden's. He has explained that the contradiction between the meat we consume, and the fact that we are all comprised of meat as well, intrigues him. You can check out a few more of his paintings below, and should you enjoy them, you can find more at his website linked here.