Collection #10 Mark Ryden

Today in my drawing class this one girl I talk to told me about this artist after we were talking about Tim Burton and his art. She suggested I look up this artist and I have to say I do love his stuff, more morbid art. :)
Currently working in Los Angeles, Ryden has paintings exhibited in museums around the world, including a retrospective "Wondertoonel" at the Frye Museum of Art in Seattle and Pasadena Museum of California Art.
http://www.markryden.com/index.html

To me his artwork renders a type of fantasy and morbid nightmarish quality, with some political and religious views makes one think about the meaning behind it all. There seems to be a lot of meaning behind what he paints and is trying to portray in his works.

This work is called "Incarnation" and was also the inspiration for the meat dress worn by lady Gaga at the MTV music awards.

 This piece is entitled "Christina" in the collection "the meat show" and I chose this just because I love Christina Ricci. This collection, also involving the one above this, involves slabs of meat in random places which could have a political view of how meat is used, but I'm not sure. I guess every piece of art is open to interpenetration.

For instance, in the next couple paintings, Ryden portrays things like the devil holding meat and the girl in the photo is holding a cross. It may be the struggle between good and evil with innocence of the young. He uses alot about pop culture and the dark side of things.
"Slayer" Oil on panel 13x15

This painting has a little girl going into a butcher shop and she is holding the hand of Abraham Lincoln, who shows up in a lot of Ryden's paintings.
"The Butcher Bunny" Oil on panel  16x16 1999

 I like this next painting because it's more peaceful and my kind of scene.
"Just the girls" 21x21 1998

Morbid stuff is my thing, so I found one of his collections called "Blood" The painting seem like they were set back in older times with a type of elegance about them. The detail is amazing and with such simplicity shows a certain story of hurt maybe with the subjects.
I like this painting because the little girl seems to be at great peace as she stands bleeding to death, her eyes are closed tight but she shows no pain.
"Fountain" 12x6.25 oil on panel 2003 

Here's another one with Lincolns head in it, not sure why the significances but it's pretty morbid how it's sitting on this little girls bed. We also disgust in class that the frames can also be part of an art piece, I think this is true with his paintings also.
"Lincolns head" 4.5x6.5 oil on panel.

 I just think this painting is cute, there isn't anything creepy about it per say and Christmas is always a magical time. I like the way he captures the snow and the sky.

"Santa Worm" 14x10 oil on panel 2000

I like paintings that show a type of religious view because I'm not particularly religious and theres a lot of different things one could say about "God" and the way life should be lived. I do believe in a higher power, a life after death but I also think religion has been twisted so many ways that people have lost the sense of simply being a good person.
"Piano Player" framed 29x39x3inches 2010