Matthew Grabelsky Creates Amazing Surreal Paintings

By
Chris L
-

Matthew Grabelsky is an artist from L.A. who was inspired by the New York City subway to create this series of surreal paintings. The subjects of his paintings are humans from the neck down, while their heads are replaced with animal heads.

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“Hello Kitten” – oil on canvas. I just finished this oil painting for my solo show, “Jungle Train” opening in one week at @thinkspace_art. I’ll also be releasing a limited edition print of this painting at the opening. DM me your email address if you’d like to be added to my mailing list to receive the advance collector’s preview for the show. . I had an idea a while ago to do a piece with a woman with a white cat head wearing a @hellokitty t-shirt. My friends came over to my studio a few months back with their adorable baby girl who was 10 months old at the time. My friend Amanda posed while Max stood next to me holding their baby. Mari started to cry and wanted her mom and I said go ahead and hold her and maybe I would do a painting of them together. Once with her mom she settled right down. She looked at her dad who was standing right next to me and naturally took this pose mirroring the Hello Kitty character on the t-shirt. It was so perfect I knew I had to paint them like that! If you look at the reflection in the window on the left, the man there is Max. So this little kitten is sitting with her mom and looking across the train car to her dad.

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Grabelsky lives in L.A., but he grew up in NYC. Additionally, he’s always been fascinated by Greek mythology, which contains many stories about human nature being represented by animals. “The characters are symbolic of the kinds of thoughts that lie under the surface of people’s minds, and they reveal that the most extraordinary can exist in the most ordinary of everyday settings,” the artist told Prohbtd.

Grabelsky graduated from Rice University with high honors. He earned a BA in Art and Art History. His work is often shown in exhibitions around the globe.

Check it out below.

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“Anotter Painting” – Oil on Canvas. My friend who modeled for this painting jokes that she’s small, brown, and furry like an otter so when I had the idea for this piece I naturally asked her to pose for it. The girl reflected in the window on the right is also her. She’s a television writer so for fun I put the leads of her favorite shows on the train with her. Bill Hader (@billfreakinghader) of “Saturday Night Live” (@nbcsnl) and “Barry” reflected on the far right and Rachel Bloom (@racheldoesstuff) of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (@cw_crazyxgf) on the far left. And of course a gnarled old sea captain is there too. . DM me your email address if you’d like to be added to my mailing list to receive information about purchasing my original oil paintings and prints.

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“Bear Necessities” – oil on canvas. I painted this piece for my solo show “Jungle Train” currently on view at @thinkspace_art. DM me your email address if you’d like to be added to my mailing list to receive information about purchasing my original oil paintings and prints. . This oil painting is based on nature films I’ve watched of bears eating salmon. In the late summer, salmon swim upstream to spawn. During that time bears are treated to a sashimi banquet. They stand in the river and the salmon practically jump into their mouths! Besides feeding the bears, the leftovers feed a variety of other animals and in turn support the river’s plant life. . Jungle Train Thinkspace Projects, 6009 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 On view through August 24th

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“Next Stop Wakanda” – oil on canvas. This oil painting will be at my solo show “Jungle Train”, opening TONIGHT at @thinkspace_art from 6-9pm. I’ll also be releasing a limited edition print of my painting “Hello Kitten” at the opening (print release starts at 5pm). DM me your email address if you’d like to be added to my mailing list to receive information about purchasing my original oil paintings and prints. . Funny story behind this piece. I had an idea a while ago to do a painting with a black panther reading a @marvel @blackpanther comic. I grew up reading on the bus and train and I wanted to show how reading can transport you to another world. I asked my friend @devanthomes to model for the painting when we were hanging out one day. He played football in college and had the perfect look for the character. Right when I asked, both him and his wife cracked up. She’s a public school teacher and works with autistic children and it turned out one of her students calls him Black Panther. I figured that since me and this little boy both had the same idea the painting was meant to be! . @reederone & @kylebryant.art also have solo shows opening tonight. If you don’t know their work check them out! . Jungle Train Thinkspace Projects, 6009 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 Opening Reception: Saturday, August 3rd, 6-9pm On view through August 24th

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“Snack Time”, new oil painting for “Mother & Child” opening Friday at @dorothycircus in Rome. My Cousin’s wife and son modeled for this one. I had a piece of bamboo to use as a prop and my little cousin unprompted started to chew on it which was perfect for a baby panda. If you look at the subway window behind their heads you can see my mother reflected on the right. I thought this was a fitting touch for a mother and child themed show as I spent a lot of time sitting on my mom’s lap when I was a kid. . I’m very excited to be showing my work in Rome. I lived in Florence for 4 years while I was studying painting at @angelacademyofart and later on spent a winter in Rome. It was a magical experience and the Italian Renaissance and Baroque artists have had an outsized influence on my work. I’ve often wished I could go back in time to meet Rapheal and Michelangelo and It’s a thrill to exhibit in the city where they painted. . This group show has an amazing lineup and will be running concurrently at Dorothy Circus Gallery’s locations in Rome and London. If you can make it check it out! . Mother & Child Dorothy Circus Gallery Via dei Pettinari 76, Rome Opening: Friday, April 13th, 6-8 pm On View: April 13th – June 9th . . . #panda #pandas #mother #mom #motherandchild #motherandson #kungfupanda #dorothycircusgallery #rome #animals #manhattan #subway #oil #oilpainting #painting #contemporarypainting #contomporaryart #realism #fineart #figurative #newyork #nyc #newyorkcity #grabelsky

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