I’m on the record as a fan of surrealist art be it old or new. Mark Ryden is a contemporary artist often described as a pop surrealist:

“Blending themes of pop culture with techniques reminiscent of the old masters, Mark Ryden has created a singular style that blurs the traditional boundaries between high and low art. His work first garnered attention in the 1990s when he ushered in a new genre of painting, “Pop Surrealism”, dragging a host of followers in his wake. Ryden has advanced from the initial surrealist strategies by choosing subject matter loaded with cultural connotations.

Ryden’s vocabulary ranges from cryptic to cute, treading a fine line between nostalgic cliché and resonating archetypes. Seduced by his infinitely detailed and meticulously glazed surfaces, the viewer is confronted with the juxtaposition of childhood innocence and the mysterious recesses of the soul. A subtle disquiet inhabits his paintings; the work is achingly beautiful as it hints at deeper psychic stuff beneath the surface of cultural kitsch. In Ryden’s world, cherubic girls rub elbows with strange and mysterious figures.”

Ryden executed 42 album covers from 1988-2013. Here’s a sampler of his artwork in chronological order:

We begin with Jeff Beck as Mr. Fix It.

This is the cover that caught my eye and led to this post:

The word was out by 1991, so Ryden did a cover for one of the biggest stars of the era. I dig the frames. They’re a recurring motif in Ryden’s non-album cover art.

What? No tattoos?

You might remember Les Baxter from my post about The Raven. He composed the swell score for that Vincent Price classic.

I think I’d avoid this playground, Marcy.

This relatively simple cover was picked for the title: Gimme an S-A-T-A-N. What’s that spell?

Ryden also did the single cover for one of Aerosmith’s biggest hits.

The last word goes to Aerosmith: