Sensual Surreal Fantasies: A Talk With the Canadian Painter "O"
The puritanical wave on social media seems to be endless, and more and more "erotic" artists are looking for alternatives to promote their work. For example, in the past week we've been contacted by four artists looking for a suitable platform. One of them is the Canadian painter "O" who also experiences promotional challenges with his surreal erotic paintings.
Well, he came to the right place and in my conversation with him we discuss his background, preference for anonymity, influences and aesthetics, the mysterious "guts-clothing"-wearing figures in some of his oils, his favorite film and much more...
Before we start the interview you can read the artist's statement:
My artwork is a means to explore my complex relationship with sexuality. It is a showcase of my fears and appreciation of sexuality, because of this I have come to call this body of work "Heaven and Hell". Sex has been a significant source of shame in my life, but also a very powerful source of inspiration and reverence. The female form acts as a conduit for my imagination. I allow intuition to take over, and aspects of my subconscious seep into the art. It is a process of discovery and illumination of hidden insights of a spiritual nature.
Fig.1 "Nude on Beach" (2023), oil on canvas panel
Stories of Molestation
Sexual abuse was common place in the community I grew up in. Stories of molestation were common, I have even witnessed it myself. The result of this was a great deal of shame in myself as a man, and my sexuality. I have come to realise that the trauma caused by this is a core issue in my life that resulted in repression, anxiety and depression. Producing art has provided a safe space to express my sexuality and has resulted in greater awareness and acceptance of repressed aspects of myself.
Fig.2 "Fools" (2024), oil on wooden panel
1) What can you tell about your background, education, introduction to (erotic) art...etc.?
I'm 34 years old and was born and raised in North-Western Ontario, Canada and am of Anishnaabe and Finnish ancestry. I had some formal education and training at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence Italy, as well as the ARA in Toronto. When I was a young teen I bought a cd from a thrift store that contained a bunch of random images, and it happened to contain an extensive collection of works by Boris Vallejo. Many of the Boris paintings on this cd were erotic in nature. This was the first time I recall being exposed to erotic art in a meaningful way. These paintings really resonated with me and they filled me with a strong sense of wonder. Ever since I started drawing I wanted to do work that was erotic in nature but repressed it. It wasn't until around 2022-2023 that I decided to embrace my desire to make erotic work and since this time I have felt that I'm meant to be doing this sort of work. When I decided to allow myself to do this stuff I felt something big wake up in me, it was very liberating and even led to what I think was a sort of spiritual awakening. My imagination had gone stale after many years of beating around the bush but after this time it was flowing.
Fig.3 "Syphon" (2024), oil on wooden panel
2) Up to know in our communication, you only used your initials. Do you prefer to be anonymous? If so, why?
I prefer to be anonymous for the time being because I have been making a name for myself doing more conventional subject matter. I'm a bit timid about sharing this stuff and have a somewhat irrational fear that it could compromise what I have going on... If my erotic art catches on and resonates with people then I'll feel more comfortable with sharing my identity. For now I prefer to be referred to as "O".
3) How would you describe your art?
My work is divided into two modes or styles - Realism and imaginative. My art represents my inner world and reflects circumstances I've encountered throughout my life. I tend to refer to it as surreal or Classical realism, but I think of it as visual descriptions of what I appreciate in physical reality and my inner world. My imaginative art is the product of revealing aspects of the subconscious in a way similar to dreaming. My realistic art is the product of discovering possibilities in physical reality that inspire me.
Fig.4 "Pariah" (2024), oil on wooden panel
4) How would you call your style: Is it surrealism or magical realism or another genre?
For the sake of convenience I tend to refer to it as surrealism, but I actually don't like to label it like that. I like it to be it's own thing, it's own style.
5) Who and / or what are your influences?
I'm influenced by Northern Renaissance painters, Jan Van Eyck in particular. Odd Nerdrum, Jean Giraud (Moebius), H.R. Giger, and Boris Vallejo have been very influential on me as well. Spirituality, and esoteric/occult stuff has been a significant influence for me... And women of course...
Fig.5 "Duality" (2024), oil on wooden panel
6) I'm curious to know what the meaning is of the "guts clothing" some of the figures are wearing in your paintings (fig.2, 3 and 6)?
When I produce this sort of work I start out with a pose I like and let my intuition take over, free of any message or conscious meaning. The aim is to let the subconscious come through in a way similar to dreaming. Producing these paintings is like transcribing a dream. I allow my intuition to take over and draw what feels good to me. Things come up organically, and what they symbolize can be interpreted in a similar way to those that'd appear in a dream. In this case the motif of a realm of flesh started to appear as I was doing these pieces. I see the guts clothing as living conscious flesh that's parasitic in nature, and to me symbolize the burden of flesh. Parasites often make an appearance in my art that deals with the darker aspects of my inner world. Recurring elements such as these often make their first appearance to me in dreams. The flesh world came to me in a dream, the strange human-like entities are inspired by those I've seen in a dream. The black and white checkerboard pattern is something that came from a recurring nightmare I had as a child. I feel as though these represent universal archetypes that can be interpreted in a myriad of ways.
Fig.6 "Mountain Mover", (2024), oil on wooden panel
7) You already told me that you were introduced to shunga for the first time through our site but what are your initial thoughts about this art form?
It's very sensual in particular and potent ways. I have always felt that the Japanese are very tuned in on the senses and this comes through in a lot of shunga prints. I've been a big fan of Japanese woodblock prints for a number of years but somehow overlooked shunga. There are things depicted in these works that I find quite alien and intriguing.
Fig.7 Untitled (2023)
8) What is your favorite film? And why?
My all time favourite film is Alien (1979). It's the mystery of it all that gets me. This film had given me such a strong sense of wonder as a child, it had such a big impact on me and I've been fixated on it ever since. The look and feel of that film, the creature designs, the score, it's all so amazing.
Fig.8 "Mating Call" (2019), oil on masonite
9) Is there a site with your work that you want me to point to?
I'm on instagram: @ARTWORKFROMBEYOND and on Twitter/X: @FantastiOArt (The fantastic art of O). I'm working on getting a proper website together, and will link it on these profiles. I'm open to doing commissions if anybody is interested in that.
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Click HERE for an interview with the master surrealist Michael Hutter
Let us know your thoughts about "O"s sensual surrealism in the comment box below....!!