The Tree Show

by Holly Meyers, Mark Ryden (Artist)

Absorbing Roman poet Ovid's tales of transformation in "Metamorphoses" and adding his own dash of art-historical figuration and contemporary pop culture, Mark Ryden broaches new terrain with "The Tree Show." "Arcadian Gothic" might hint at the nature of this new work, and fans of Ryden will find familiar preoccupations in these new paintings, drawings and sculptures--made since his first solo show in 1998--transposed to new pastures. Never reluctant to freight his work with layers of reference that range from Renaissance landscape and Neoclassical portrait painting to occultism and literature, in his latest works Ryden combines the arcane with pop-cultural images as ground from which to make his carefully executed leaps into fantasy. Ryden's series includes depictions of oak trees consuming children, floating tree stumps with "seeing" eyes, imaginary wood nymphs and mythological characters who personify Nature herself. Ryden paints his characters with a masterful, porcelain glow reminiscent of Ingres and renders his trees with a care that evokes Audubon's botanical illustration. Several of his paintings are presented in elaborately carved frames that project their narratives beyond the canvas. "The Tree Show" offers reproductions of these paintings and sculptures alongside the fruits of Ryden's research on the tree as myth--drawing from the Buddha's Bodhi Tree to Adam and Eve, the Sephiroth of the Kabbalah and matters of ecological science. As such, this volume constitutes an enticing dossier on Ryden's encyclopedic exploration of the subject and reproduces in its entirety this series centered around the arboreal world.
Mark Ryden was born in Medford, Oregon, and received a BFA in 1987 from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art and Photography

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[David Katzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Ryden is one of the world's finest living artists, and his new collection is perhaps his most brilliant. Previous pieces certainly stand out as individually superior, but as a whole this collection is his most powerful. I was rather breathless paging through this book, and i think it moved me because it was his most thematically tight and yet emotionally expansive show.

Ryden takes cartoon dreams and gives them real life dimensionality. The detail goes beyond obsession into a magical realm of "that's not fucking possible." His paintings are windows into an alternate reality conjured with such commitment and patience that they become hyper-real. I feel like i could step right into them. And, in fact, several of his paintings inspired scenes in my current novel. This book is a treasure.

Here is the painting from The Tree Show featured on the cover of the book:

[brian tanabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cannot get to me soon enough.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Ryden's artistic talent is brilliant and lovely. The Tree Show is a must have for anyone that is appreciative of his work.

[Donald Armfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little info about Ryden's sculptures and artwork, sketches and original drawings

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Went to MOMA (Museum Of Modern Art) on the day he was doing the booksigning for this. Bought a copy for me, and another for a gift (and had him autograph both). Very shy in person, but clearly enjoying all the fans who lined up to see him. His work is just magnificent, and this book is an excellent taste of all the works he did for the 2007 exhibit of "The Tree Show". Very interesting to read about his inspiration behind the exhibit's theme, also (in the small amount of text there is, in the book). A must-have for all Ryden fans.

[Zinc Masterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far so good! I got this book...a big hard cover on ebay and it came with a small portfolio of works from Tree Show....A cool deal. Dont know which I like more - the book or the small portfolio....HA ha....but I like what i bought!

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being totally ripped off by the Blood book, Ryden really redeemed himself with this one. Beautiful reproductions and detail shots. A great buy!

[Zelly B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. Beautiful, beautiful work. Very haunting, a little creepy, but amazing.

[Wasabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing.

[Lachlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awesome twisted art.

[Arielena · Rating 4 out of 5]

doesnt have much words but his art is incredible and leave you thinking about what they could possibly mean...

[patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first owned Ryden book and it's a beaut! General Sherman tree, I will be seeing you soon !

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Ryden! Not my favorite Ryden book or exhibition, but a wonderful addition to my Ryden collection all the same. Strange and surreal, mixing cuteness with creep, Ryden is always worth a read.

[Lucia Figueroa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is finest pleasure to the eye.

[Taylor Savige]

how do i read it from th