The Expressive and Surreal Work of Mark RydenListThumbs

The Expressive and Surreal Work of Mark Ryden

August 14, 2009

Mark Ryden is a great painter and one of the most celebrated artists of the Pop Surrealism movement. His pieces are stunting, expressive and they transmit a good feeling. His work takes us to a kind of parallel world, almost a deja vu. Ryden studied illustration and graduated at the Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, in 1987.

Upon first glance Ryden’s work seems to mirror the Surrealists’ fascination with the subconscious and collective memories. However, Ryden transcends the initial Surrealists’ strategies by consciously choosing subject matter loaded with cultural connotation. His dewy vixens, cuddly plush pets, alchemical symbols, religious emblems, primordial landscapes and slabs of meat challenge his audience not necessarily with their own oddity but with the introduction of their soothing cultural familiarity into unsettling circumstances.

Viewers are initially drawn in by the comforting beauty of Ryden’s pop-culture references, then challenged by their circumstances, and finally transported to the artist’s final intent – a world where creatures speak from a place of childlike honesty about the state of mankind and our relationships with ourselves, each other and our past.

Find more about Mark Ryden and his work online at markryden.com.

I really loved his pieces, specially Rose (the first one at this list), which I saw at a tv show once and tried to find it for a long period with no success. This image was in my head for months... but then this week I was browsing around and found it... so I decided to show this and other great pieces from this very talented artist! Enjoy the paintings...

About the author

Someone with a bachelor degree in Foreign Trade that really likes technology, design, photography and creativity. A person ‘digging’ a new way as a ‘geek apprentice’, blogger 'wanna be' and a communication lover! Current location: Porto Alegre, RS – Brazil
Twitter user: gismullr

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25 Comments

Zakyzack08/14/2009

I think the first picture has been in maiami ink.

Remy08/14/2009

Scary shit.

Win08/14/2009

UAU! Genious printing!

David Hoogland08/14/2009

I finally found him again! I've been looking at his work a few years back, but forgot his name and never been able to find it again... and here it is! I don't think I've ever been this happy about a blog post! Thank you so much!! I really love his work... I'm sure I won't forget his name ever again! =)

Noa08/14/2009

I don't know what to say. :P

ruiner6708/14/2009

Oh man, I love Mark Ryden's work.

He is definitely one of the most talented traditional painters of the modern era. His surrealistic imagery is adorable and terrifying at the same time.

Oh, such beautiful horrors!

Douglas Soares08/14/2009

du caraleo!

Márcio08/14/2009

esses dias fiz um post no meu blog sobre ele, e acabei descobrindo que a capa do dangerous do MJ é do rayden, assim como o one hot minute do chili peppers. muito bom!!!!