Christian Rex van Minnen’s paintings are a surreal feast for the eyes. Influenced by the oddities of nature and the great masters of the Northern Renaissance, van Minnen creates figures of bulbous, blistery flesh fused together by flora and fauna within formal settings. It’s this innovative approach to portraiture that has the viewer simultaneously repeled and captivated while being heralded as a modern Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
In his Keyhole Portrait series, van Minnen pushes his unique aesthetic further. Taking the recognizable cut out silhouette of an old master and combining an interior panel of both natural and preternatural elements, the surreal artist challenges the viewer's perception of self onto the subjects within each portrait. The front panel becomes a keyhole one looks through to explore compositions that aren't easily recognizable as human forms, but natural forms nonetheless.
To view more works by the artist, visit christianvanminnen.com or stephaniechefas.com.
