Pop Surrealism of Roq La Rue
The newest art movement that I found to be the most exciting is Pop Surrealism / LowBrow. Roq La Rue, an art gallery in Seattle, is one of the first that willing to show these rebellious modern artworks.
It showcases a mixture of artists whose outlaw sensibilities and countercultural subject matter was rendered with undeniable ability and vision.
Kristen Anderson – Owner and Curator of Roq La Rue
This year marked the tenth year celebration and I really like what I see.
This month’s featuring artist is Femke Hiemstra with her amazing mixed media paintings of dark fairytale land where everyday objects assumed its own life and also, different roles. Lollipops as ship captains, strawberries resumed the role of giant wrestlers. Nothing but extraordinary talent and imagination could churn out memorable pop culture art pieces like these. Every piece is a unique portal to fantastic gate of adventures. It is up to the viewer to make up the rest of the stories.
4 Responses to 'Pop Surrealism of Roq La Rue'
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Pop surrealism challenges understanding. One has to be the artist himself to fully understand the extent of the meaning but they are nice pieces - colourful, surrealistic and profound (food for thought). I prefer mainstream pop art and impressionist though. All the same, thanks for sharing, Andie.
You can also read happysurfer’s blog post: Comments on the Fuel Debate
happysurfer
16 Jul 08 at 10:33 am
Thanks. A discovery. And shame on me. She works practically around my corner in Amsterdam (take this not too literally), and I didn’t know about her . Her style to me seems to be a mixture of a fleet-footed Jeroen Bosch and nowadays comics.
At her site http://www.femtasia.nl - which shows a lot of her art - she herself tells about it briefly:
“Welcome to Femtasia, the homeworld of my art & illustrationwork. Browse through
the electronic landscape and discover the diversity of painted analogue and digital
created flora & fauna. Enjoy your stay. Hope to see you again soon!
Artwork & illustrations of Femke Hiemstra: analogue, digital, mixed media, pencil, Photoshop, Illustrator, acrylics, Posca marker, soft pastel, oil pastel, collage, recent work, archive, work in progress, fresh, fine, brand-new, art, artwork, paintings, low art, sculpture, 3D m”.
An incentive for a visit to Amsterdam?
You can also read colson’s blog post: The company you keep
colson
16 Jul 08 at 2:34 pm
Perhaps you’d love Mark Ryden as well?
Goddammit. Sorry, Andie — can’t resist myself from commenting.
Keep blogging the beautiful things. Surreal or not, the world needs it.
Thanks.
You can also read Marisa’s blog post: Pirates of Silicon Valley
Marisa
17 Jul 08 at 2:22 am
HappySurfer,
You are absolutely right! I had to talk till my face all blue to certain character to explain why I think the first piece is absolutely brilliant. Not that I am such an extraordinary artist, but I appreciate things out of ordinary and I think I can relate to them.
Colson,
You have been to her studio? Oh I envy you. Amsterdam is absolutely gorgeous. I would love to go one day. Unfortunately, next in our map is Micronesia and Greece. Maybe after those two …
Marisa
Ryden has a sweet fairy tale instinct in his work. Being a girl, I love his trinkets and all.
Femke’s works are dark and posses certain value of wickedness. Kinda apple and oranges, the both of them. But I love apple and orange.
As I said, it takes a unique flow of ideas to come up with those pieces. You can’t just stare at a garden to be able to produce an illustration with ailing root sleeping on a hospital bed, tended by a champignon nurse. Imagination and originality are everything. Simply extraordinary artists.
Andie
17 Jul 08 at 1:03 pm