Ron English and Mar Yvette at the Corey Helford Gallery for Playboy Magazine

Godfather of Street Art Ron English on His Surreal New Creations

Ron English is the undisputed godfather of street art and a trailblazer of pop surrealism who paved the way for the likes of Banksy and Shepard Fairey. For many, this iconoclastic artist first caught their attention with his popaganda art that literally painted a disturbing new picture of Ronald McDonald as the obese MC SuperSized.

“I think to experience joy in art is just as important as expressing a really deep concept,” English says while ushering me through his latest sculptures and larger-than-life paintings at the Corey Helford Gallery in Downtown LA. With his latest creations, English has imagined an entire world called Delusionville featuring a new cast of characters with an exhaustively detailed backstory. To get the full story, be sure check out my article in Playboy Magazine.
Man child: Donald Trump with Ron English's signature grin motif

Man child: Donald Trump with Ron English’s signature grin motif

 

Take a knee: English's statues of David and beyond

Taking a knee: English’s statues of David and beyond

 

The child clown of Ron English's Delusionville

The child clown of Ron English’s Delusionville

 

Punk Skunk: The artist's first pot-smoking character is a riff on skunk weed

Punk Skunk: The artist’s first pot-smoking character is a riff on skunk weed

 

In front of the canvas and the camera

In front of the canvas and the camera

For more information, check out Ron English’s Popaganda

There is 1 comment for this article
  1. Pat Kenny at 8:36 am

    A friend has a surreal painting he purchased at a garage sale. He was told it was by an artist who once worked for Playboy. He was also told it’s an original, no copy’s. I wonder if you could tell me if you have ever seen it if I forward you a digital copy. I looks like Jerry Lee Lewis’s face, or his “son”s , with hands extended with flames coming out of the tops of the hands. If it sounds like something you remember, I could attach it. I’m looking for the artist name. It is not signed on the front.

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