Christian Rex van Minnen

If Holbein was painting today and was influenced by Salvador Dali, his work might resemble that of  Christian Rex van Minnen. Born in Providence, Rhode Island and now living in Brooklyn, Christian takes the traditional notions of oil painting and twists them into bizarre and grotesque portraits and still lifes. Both compelling and repelling, his work is at once classical and lowbrow contemporary.

van Minnen easily replicates the style of an old Renaissance master, but he distorts and twists the subjects of his paintings, turning them into mangled, infected, catroon-ish beings. He also combines portraiture with still life painting with disturbing results – fruits growing out of a man’s face or a fish tied to a person’s head. And for good measure he even throws in some completely contemporary objects like tattoos or a chair with the phrase “Kill ‘Em All” carved into the back of it.

You can see more of Christian’s work on his website.