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
By Kayla Dorvel
