Wednesday, September 3, 2014

A Look into Surrealist Painting with Tyson Grumm


     Image Caption: Tyson Grumm, Giganstropod, 2012, acrylic on wood, 28 x 48 inches

When people think of surrealist painters, Salvador Dali or Rene Magritte may come to mind. Artist Tyson Grumm is also of the surrealist persuasion, and his artwork is being presented in the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Ten-in-One. Some of Grumm’s pieces are set in a museum. “The idea of the organized and serious environment in which museums exhibit works of art, or objects of historical significance, fascinates me,” Grumm says. “It was experimental to see what would happen if I dropped something as unexpected as a sideshow act into that world.”

Grumm’s works often contain animals, and his animal choices are diverse; one piece showcases an alligator while another houses a snail. “Humor and whimsy is a big part of why I enjoy putting animals in my art,” Grumm states.  “Humans have a deep fascination with animals and we create parallels to them existing in our world. I tend to gravitate towards animals that have quirks (such as ostriches or penguins) and humorous attributes that bring out their human-like characteristics.”

A particularly interesting aspect of Grumm’s process is that he takes chances with his paintings, not knowing exactly how the work will take shape until he is well into the process of painting. He doesn’t begin with a vision or a sketch. In fact, he allows the landscape of his works to inform him as the painting unfolds. Grumm explains that he “enjoy[s] not knowing how the final story will conclude and this is where the observer comes in to complete the narrative [of the work] in their mind.”

Grumm’s paintings can be seen in the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum beginning September 12, at the Season Kickoff Festival, Ten in One: A Cirque-ish Event.

By Kayla Dorvel