Mark Ryden's first show in the last few years opened a couple of weeks ago (on Saturday March 10th), at a fairly upmarket, small gallery on Beverly Boulevard called the Michael Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles. For some reason I had no idea this show even opened, so thanks to the LASK crew we stopped by on the way from the Long Gone John Show last Saturday.

I've been past this gallery a zillion times, and it's demeanour and location, plus lack of anything I dig, has put me off going in. Its a different place for Ryden's art - but he's moved up a notch or too. I get the feeling teh gallery aren't used to his audience... consequently I had to chuckle, and get a bit mad, at the attitude of the staff. For instance, I'm flicking thru the price list ($4K for a small sketch study to $800K for the show's star piece) and an older woman asks to look at it, so gallery assistant girl offers her a printed price list and demonstrates the order to view teh paintings in (Its hip, the paintings aren't numbered). So I ask for a list too, and she kind of glares and says reluctantly "OK, but promise to return it" ... mmmm ... guess I don't look like I have enuf money ... I don't, but..... then she catches me taking photos, pretty funny as I'd already taken all the pics u see below, and teh gallery is tiny, plus no one is there. So she's VERY attentive...snigger. The after been in there maybe 9 minutes, and its 5:59PM the owner comes out, and says "it's way past 6, can you hurry up and leave please"...WTF? Kind of ejected I guess. I returned today, and the LA weekly has covered teh show and its packed again. I ask for teh list again, and she says EXACTLY the same thing to me, so I remind her I was here a week ago, and I returned the price list then, and I promised that I'll return it again....all said with barely disguised pissed offness. I also ask if ther is a show postcard - no there isn't - cheap ass bastards!

All that said, teh art is f'ing AMAZING - AMAZING

My pics are crap, but ther are better ones on Juxtapoz's site, plus pics of Ryden and his beard....unmissable. Anyway, check it out:

California Brown Bear:


Allegory of the Four Elements:


Ghost Girl:


Wood Spirits:


This was rad, the kid inside was creepy and cool, and teh sculpture had a Brendan Munroe thing going on:


The shows namesake, Tree of Life. This piece is killer. The fraem itself took 9 months to carve by 4 guys, or so I read. It is incredible tho. In fact, the framing thruout teh show is super impressive:


This piece was big installation with a train running around it, and lots of weird stuff that looked cool set up...like a Toybiz LOTR Treeperson, weird Rydenesque dolls,, and LASK spotted a Headorah in there too! So Mark reprezents for Skullbrainers there...probably:


California Brown Bear


RootKid (Imade this name up):


This reminded me of Pan's Labyrinth and the root baby under the bed, altho in reality it was probably vicea versa:


Foetal trapping:


I had teh white balance kind of screwed up...sorry. If u get a chance, SEE THIS SHOW. I think it runs thru April 28.

thanks for the pics and story.. I really dig Ryden's work, but does it really warrant that enormous pricetag on his stuff (does anyone actually buy it?)?

Mark used to come into Kimono My House with his family years ago when I worked there so I know he's into the toys a little bit. I asked about trading toys for art but even then I would have had to trade all I had for just a small painting. Oh well. He was a super nice guy.

Very cool!

And Rhino, all teh paintings were sold - ALL OF THEM. I think most sold before teh show even opened.

daaaamn

Wow, the ghost girl and the tree thing are sick!

Too bad the gallery lady was a beotch. If she said that to me I would have said "Well!!...I do say..." and then adjusted my monocole

As I read what you wrote about the show, I felt a little skepticism. I think it was based on how burned out I got on the blood show premiered. I saw images everywhere. Working in a tattoo shop, I saw a girl a week trying to get the "bleeding eye" girl. Seeing the photos blew me away.. I'll never doubt Mr Ryden again..

It now makes me bummed that I've only ever seen 1 Ryden piece in the flesh..

Speechless!

Oh and Carl, I think she's very used to dealing with "your kind".

Thanks for the pics! Seeing Ryden's paintings in person is an experience everyone should have. No picture can do them justice. I was lucky enough to see the Wondertoonel show, with many of Long Gone John's pieces, and they blew me away. True works of art.

i was checkin ryden's websited a few nights ago and i saw some of the pics, but i see more here that are not on his website. they are just incredible!
i like they way how ryden's paintings are shown on a unique custom frame. is a really amazing way to integrate the whole piece. the tree of life is mind blowing!
the big instalation with the train and other toys is really cool... i wish i could see some close ups

$800,000 for the Tree of Life?

Damn.

Too many pretty people on the Jux coverage...

Amazing stuff. Just out of curiosity - roughly how much were the "Wood Spirit" pieces? I love the one with just an eye painted on the wood "cookie".

From memory they were between 18 and 35K. The single eye pieces are my favorite of those. Really, really nice.

There is so much more in teh exhibition - some great pencil studies of teh larger paintings too.

Great images! Was there a catalogue for this show? Or would the gallery have called the police if you asked about that? It's a shame Mark Ryden has become food for culture vultures. When galleries are that snooty, you wonder if they would even like Ryden if they didn't make so much money off of him.

He rocks! True American Master! I love the Brown Bear and Abe Lincoln/Alice pieces! My dad would dig the bear. He has one that sleeps near the garden next to his house.