Surrealism by Matthew Hensel: nothing clear, but very interesting

American surrealist artist Matthew Hansel paints very strange, almost mystical paintings. They seem incomprehensible and sometimes frightening, but it is very difficult to tear yourself away from them. In fact, the shocking master devotes his works to ordinary human feelings: love, tenderness, doubt, joy, sadness. Just to understand this, you need to linger a little at each picture and thoughtfully delve into the details. (Warning! Nudity).

Matthew Hensel's work playfully integrates different artistic traditions and tonal registers. The author skillfully manipulates them to create supernatural, lush and exciting scenes. The artist superimposes surreal elements taken from pop culture, art history and our collective unconscious onto classical images.

Using a mixture of humor and pathos, Hansel creates postmodern images. They reflect the history of art, talk about relationships between people and explore the theme of man’s connection with the Universe. Hensel's paintings are also filled with eroticism, however, it is difficult to call it flashy.

Matthew Hensel lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He received a BFA from Cooper Union School of Art and an MFA from Yale University School of Art. The artist regularly organizes personal exhibitions. They took place at The Hole, New York, USA (2021), Brand New Gallery, Milan, Italy (2018) and PM/AM, London, UK (2017).

Another surrealist whose canvases contain erotic subjects is the Frenchman Clovis Trouille. His provocative paintings were appreciated by Salvador Dali himself.