“Allegorical Illustration & the case of Mark Ryden.

MA Visual Communication

Research Methods-Case study

Athina Pappa, 2012

21 pages, 2,720 words (all references excluded)

Abstract

Allegorical illustration or in other words the use of allegory in illustration, is a very dominant
approach in many types of illustration, especially in editorial. Mark Ryden’s work although
officially branded as ‘fine art’, falls into this category, being an appropriate example of the
approach. This research attempts to define the meaning construction mechanisms in Mark
Ryden’s work, which are related to the use of allegory, while linking the outcome to
contexts outside visual communication. In order to respond to this statement, formal
research methods will be applied, such as literature search including book publications,
online resources, articles, reviews and published interviews of the artist. Also, a variety of
Mark Ryden work examples will be presented and analyzed as well as compared to other
practitioners that share some of the same principles in their work. No questionnaires will
be used in this research, as it is not a case related to personal experience and therefore,
gathering opinions would not be useful. The main criteria behind the choice of Mark
Ryden, is that his work stands right on the blurry limit between fine art and illustration and
this is an intended oxymoron. Consequently, many art movements from symbolism to
dadaism, and the op-ed section in the New York Times, are equally relevant references. In
broader terms, semiotics, the theory of archetypes and post-modernism are also
associated with the subject.

Introduction

“Allegory is the representation of abstract ideas by characters, figures or events in a

dramatic, narrative or pictorial form’ (The free dictionary by Farlex). In terms of etymology,
“Allegory means ‘other speech’, from Greek allos (other) and agoreuein (to speak openly);
it signifies an open declamatory speech which contains another layer of meaning. It thus
possesses a double intention.” (Warner, 2010, p.19) In this explanation by Warner, I would
replace the word ‘speech’ with ‘text’, because allegory is a generic term directly linked to
the concept of metaphor and can be generated in many codes of communication, from
literature and proverbs to drawings and films. It is a fundamental conceptual approach
whose origins go back to the ancient world, both timeless and transcultural and this is
mainly because of the plethora of its forms and functions. For instance, the figure with
scales and a sword, is an allegory of “justice”.

Figure 1:The statue of Justice on

top of the Old Bailey, London, was
made by Morris Singer Art
Foundry. Photograph: Rex
Features, 2010.

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 Conducting the allegory is rather useful for an
illustrator, who intends to create a rich-in-
content visual text that apart from stating the
obvious points of an article or theory-in a way
photography would- expands the given
concept (Zeegen, 2006) and even allows an
individual interpretation by the viewer
(Holland, 2010).

Figure 2: Shimizu Yuko, unpublished

illustration for Time magazine, 2011.

The allegorical approach is often used by the artists in the ‘opposite editorial section’,
which originated in the New York Times in 1970. In this section, people not affiliated with
the newspaper would express their independent opinion and artists (op-artists) would
transcript and interpret these articles using metaphor and allegory (Holland, 2010) The
following illustrations are by Brad Holland and Rafal Olbinski, both considered veteran op-
artists.

Figure 3:Holland Brad, ‘Dare to Figure 4:Olbinski Rafal, ‘New York

Dream’, 2006 Capital of the world’, 1995

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Almost during the same period (mid 70s), a new art movement emerged in the U.S.,
mostly in California, known as ‘lowbrow’ or ‘pop surrealism’ adopting a more illustrative,
representational style, using streetwise aesthetics. (Zeegen, 2006). “The term lowbrow is
used as opposed to ‘highbrow’ meaning fancy, sophisticated, elitist or intellectual” (Alonzo,
2008). The following image is a Gary Baseman painting, whose work is often categorized
as “lowbrow”.

Figure 5:Baseman Gary, ‘Sweet Surrender’, 2003.

The chosen artist Mark Ryden, is considered ‘the godfather’ within this oddly defined
movement, a significant proportion of which is flirting with allegory in a post-surrealism
context. His images are highly symbolic, rich in cultural references, and there is an
implication of social commentary through his ambiguous and conversational outcomes.
Critic Carlo McCormick suggests that there is “the application of irony that in no way
constitutes a critique” (McCormick, 2001). However, the focusing point is to identify any
techniques behind the creation of the allegory, a fact that might be responsible for the
given controversy and dialogue around his artwork.

Figure 6:Ryden Mark, ‘The

Magic Circus’, 2001

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Argument

A)The case of Mark Ryden

Mark Ryden was born in 1963 and raised in California. His work is widely celebrated and is
a seldom case where art that generates the disciplines and aesthetics of notorious
illustration, is equally appreciated
with conceptual or abstract art and
exhibited in galleries. The work
varies from large oil paintings to
some music covers and from multi
character detailed compositions, to
portrait pieces, that nevertheless
bear a significant amount of
symbolic references to create
confusion over the ‘what do they
represent’ question(Okazaki, 2009).
Mark Ryden appears to be using
some kind of techniques to construct
these synthetic wholes
of elements in a way that they form
a narrative.

! ! ! ! ! ! Figure 7:Ryden Mark, ‘The Apology’, 2006.

Figure 8(top):Ryden Mark, ‘Little Boy Blue’,

2001.

Figure 9(right):Ryden Mark, ‘Saint Barbie’,

1994.
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Figure 10: Michael Figure 11: Ryden Mark, ‘The Piano Player’, 2010
Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ Record
Sleeve, 1991

Observing a wide range of Ryden’s images, I established a list of principles that appear to
the majority of his work. This list is demonstrated through the analysis of a chosen
example, the ‘Allegory of the Four Elements’ painting.

!
! Figure 12: Ryden Mark, ‘Allegory of the Four Elements’, 2006.

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 Figure 13:Ryden Mark, ‘Allegory of the Four Elements’, 2006,
with notes.

! ! ! Reoccurring Principles in Mark Ryden’s work:

1-number of metaphors
i)log as a table, ii)human babies as birds, iii)animals as the badges-hats of the girls, iv)girls
as the elements.

2-referencing and editing of archetypes-use of two clichés minimum in a single

composition:
the young girl archetype edited as a fundamental element.
Use of regular connotations: the bird for air and the fish for water but also the deer for fire,
less regular connotation.

3-rearranging structure of elements, replacement, misplacement, inversion, rotation:

i)baby birds or eggs would be the logical connotation inside a bird nest, in this case they
are replaced with three minimized human babies.
ii)another misplacement is the animals on the girls’ heads.

4-creating contrast between elements (and/or extracting elements from their original
context and i)either presenting them isolated or ii)in a contradicting context:
Eg)The girls are well dressed and seem as if they live on that set, but no sign of civilization
is presented beyond the teacups on the log-table. Their figures are in a way extracted from
a residential area we can’t see, and relocated in what seems to be a pure natural set.

5-combining clichés to create hybrid characters or elements (personification, merging,

replacing) (levels of merging: from evident transfiguration and hybridity to complete
transformation/replacement):
hybrid elements: in this case, the girls’ instead-of-hats animals on top of their heads.
(merging level: replacement)

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6-presence of at least one human character (rare exceptions), mostly girls with an age
variation from 10 to 20 years old.

7-tight structured images, use of symmetry, axis, golden section:

The image is tightly cropped, there is symmetry both on the horizontal and the vertical
axis.

8-use of details, sometimes hidden in unexpected places, to create the urge to be

discovered:
hidden and edited female symbol on the teapot and the triangle symbols on the girls’
dresses, bee on the table, minimized babies.

9-use of famous/recognizable figures and objects and/or symbols:

previously mentioned symbols. The levels of “recognizable” may differ.

10-scale distortion:
i) The girls’ heads are oversized, ii)The human babies are minimized, iii)The animals on
the girls’ heads are presented as if they were the same size(a deer as big as a squirrel)

11-symbolistic use of colour:

The same colour is used for the hair and dress of each element and it is matching the
nature of the element: Eg)white for air.

13-descriptive or explanatory titles:

“Allegory of four elements”, both descriptive and explanatory.

14-drama:
The characters are presented during an action:
The four elements are drinking tea.

15-style: atmospheric and dreamy result, reminiscent of catholic religious illustration,

vintage aesthetics, nostalgic sensation, kitsch.

Observing the nature of the principles, it could be stated that they are promoting some kind
of duality, often presented as a forced-fictional interruption of normality. Thus, these
statements are directly linked to the notion of a ‘text which contains another meaning’
initial definition of allegory. Allegory suggests an intermediate stop to a hypothetically
unrelated subject between the observed and the signified, the exact same way metaphor
does (Peirce C.S.1903) Therefore and under this prismatic analysis, these principles lead
to the strengthening of the allegorical quality. Additionaly, the atmospheric painting style
and human characters, create a nostalgic sensation that looks like new age religious
illustration that isn’t really about the existence of god but merely about the potential human
explanations on life.

Ryden’s work is balancing between -unintented according to him(Okazaki, 2009)- social

commentary and dreamy getaway; between almost annoying combinations and making
sense; between macabre and childish cute; there is a balancing indecisive stumbling
between his demonstrated ‘awareness of mortality’ and the manifestation of happily
existing. It is this duality that enables the allegory to generously spread. “Yes Mark Ryden
invites us into a slaughterhouse disguised as a madhouse, but it is also a funhouse, where
the distortions of flesh and mind are there primarily for our greater
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entertainment” (McCormick, Anima Mundi essay, 2001). His bold juxtaposing of trivial
objects with loaded religious or political figures, opens the gate to philosophical thought as
the viewer forces connotations questioning established approaches(Okazaki, 2009).

One of the things that Ryden has in common with some of the op-artists mentioned earlier,
is that he leaves a conceptual margin for the viewer to fill in with their own opinion. The
descriptive meaning is threefold: a)the obvious b)the implicated and c)the viewer’s
interpretation.

In terms of aesthetics and content, there is influential evidence by the post-modern, widely
consumeristic, American society and a variety of other things from mythologies to
Hieronymus Bosch paintings (Ryden, 2008).

B)Comparisons

#1 Mark Ryden & Marco Mazzoni

Figure 14: Ryden Mark, ‘The Apology’, 2006. Figure 15:Mazzoni Marco, ‘The
Mother’, 2012.

(Purple lines are inserted to show symmetry)

The main difference between these two pictures is that Mazzoni does not insert any
irrelevant elements, whereas Ryden is using personification of the tree, painting a big eye
on the log. Although both of them use allegory, Ryden’s case is focusing on metaphor and
synechdoche via his principle-tactics and Mazzoni is focusing on hyperbole as a visual
rhetoric, without juxtaposing any other content (visual rhetorics terminology, Hunt S.,
2012).
! ! ! !
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! ! !
! ! ! !
! ! ! ! #2 Mark Ryden & Camille Garcia

Figure 16: Ryden

Mark, ‘The Pumpkin
President’,1998.(black
lines inserted)

Figure 17:Garcia
Camille Rose, ‘Royal
Disorder Subterranean
Invasion’, 2006.

These examples show how the two artists use different structures to coordinate their multi
character compositions. Ryden’s elements and characters are placed from larger to
smaller in what appears to be a golden section fragmented canvas, whereas Garcia is
creating a pattern-like, even-density image not highlighting a single character.

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! ! ! ! #3 Mark Ryden & Emiliano Ponzi

Figure 18 (left):
Ryden Mark ‘Saint
Barbie’, 1994.(black
lines inserted)

Figure 19 (right):
Ponzi Emiliano,
‘Death of Post-
moderinsm/what’s
next’, 2011.(purple
circles inserted)

Both of the artists use the religious theme, although Ryden uses more characters again in
a strict golden section fragmented image, carefully placing the items. The use of details in
Ryden’s case increases the complexity of the content and distracts the viewer from the
main allegory (Barbie as a Saint), whereas Ponzi’s image is clearer on the communicated
message.

C)The origins of Allegorical Illustration and broader contexts.

“Visual metaphors are a powerful aid to human thinking. From Sanskrit through
hieroglyphics to the modern alphabet, we have used ciphers, objects and illustrations to
share meaning with other people, thus enabling collective and collaborative thought” (Van
Heerden, 2008, p.5). Early types of allegorical illustration are to be found in the first
religious artwork created by civilizations around the world. Primal attempts to illustrate
paraboles, folk tales, epic poems and mythology, form the first archive of ‘illustration for
allegory’ which could be considered as a pre-stage of allegorical illustration. Hieronymus
Bosch, the Flemish painter, illustrated religious themes in a darker way than his
contemporaries and stands among the many influences of Mark Ryden.

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 Figure 20:Bosch Hieronymus, ‘Garden
of Earthly Delights’, 1480-1515.

Within this research the term “allegorical illustration” is defined as a counter term to ‘literal’
or realistic illustration. Almost the same distinction that Andrew Hall suggests as “the
imagined and the observed”(Hall, 2008 p.27). Allegorical illustration attempts to represent
the unknown, the unseen, the fictional, the fantastical, the implicated. From symbolism to
surrealism and dadaism but also in 19th century illustration, Dali, Magritte and Francisco
Goya have the use of allegory in common. Especially surrealism could be considered the
most significant influence on lowbrow movement and contemporary illustration(Hall, 2011).

! ! Figure 21:Dali Salvador, ‘The Persistence of Memory’, 1931.

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Figure 22: Goya Francisco, ‘Hasta su Figure 23: Magritte René, ‘Home
abuelo’,1799. sickness’, 1940.

Apart from the above references, the kitsch movement, comic book art, science fiction,
pin-up, psychedelic & punk rock art, graffiti art, tattoo art, pornography, music art, posters,
animation and more, also had a major impact on contemporary practitioners (Williams,
2004).

Also, there is a differentiation between representational fine art movements that use
allegory and “allegorical illustration”, which opens the unresolved debate over what is
considered fine art and what illustration within the academic circles. Illustration alone, is
hard to be defined and this is partly the problem: “It is derided as whimsical by artists and
arty by designers” (Zeegen L., 2006, p.12)

Contemporary allegorical illustration is referencing and repurposing art movements,

creating new versions of archetypes in a more defined context, aiming to convey specific
messages. However, strict labeling and categorizing can be more harmful than useful in an
effort to construct a holistic perspective on the issue and this is why my chosen examples
are both from fine art, ‘lowbrow art’ and illustration.

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Conclusion

Allegorical illustration in general, interferes with the theories of archetypes, the field of
semiotics and cognition, literature & other forms of communication, Freudian theories,
cosmogony, existentialism and philosophical thought.

It appears to be the infusion of dual meaning in an element or a character for the sake of
communicating an idea through symbolistic mechanisms. This indirect potential is able to
unlock certain parts in our subconscious, while we create new connotations avoiding the
disciplines of a rational systemic approach. This is a fact that can be proved rather
dangerous given a case of misuse for the likes of propaganda, but this is a different case.
What emerges as important is that some of the mechanisms of allegorical approach evoke
existential thinking and that these mechanisms are to be found in the work of Mark Ryden
packaged under his own signature style.

Ryden captures the complexity of modern society and injecting a vintage effect into his
colourful circus, presents us with his reality in a religious wrapping, indirectly but
persistingly asking of us to believe. This very action establishes a rare and desirable state
of freedom on both the signifier’s and the receiver’s ends (illustrator’s and viewer’s ends),
as opposed to the highly manipulated mass-media era we are experiencing. (McLuhan,
M., 1967)

In my opinion, Mack Ryden achieves this state of freedom by not over-controlling the
drama that takes place in the paintings. There is no logical, sequential narrative in the way
his text unravels. There is no evidence of a clear point of view or articulate statement in
the work. This ruthless stirring of fixed marks and archetypes that he performs, does not
settle to self-confident affirmations. It looks like a mental snapshot just before he made his
mind, without informing us of what he eventually thought of. Creating this type of
sensation, equally supports the concept of allegory just as it happens in stories: The end of
allegorical stories does not include a compressed sentence of the communicated
message, at least in the original versions. They leave the reader with a sense of ambiguity
while wondering if they correctly grasped the concept. This is also what great
conversations and interesting dialogues are created upon: an allegorical text that triggers
the imagination and our desperate innate need to respond to the loads of existential
questions.

Figure 24:Ryden Mark,

Grotto of the Old Mass,
2008.

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Reflective statement

My final perspective on Ryden’s work agrees with the initial, although it is more informed
and supported. I have a clearer view on which of his pictures work better and why, at least
on a conceptual base. I would like to benefit from the principles I discovered in the work of
Mark Ryden and check if some of them are applicable to my own work.

Through this research I shaped a better understanding of possible ways to manipulate the
allegorical approach.

I realized that even if it is open to independent interpretation, allegorical illustration is

highly opinionated, a fact that raises the responsibility of the creator, as they share
personal and philosophical views with the audience.

I want to try and make the existential concerns better structured and visible to my own
work by eliminating random symbols-linking and maintain an awareness on how different
details lead to different connotations.

I will continue exploring the vast concept of metaphor and allegory while documenting my
progress through my work.

Bibliography

Illustrations in order of appearance:

Cover: Ryden M.(1998), The Angel of Meat, Mark Ryden Official Website, <http://
[Link]/paintings/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 1: Anon (2010), Untitled, London: Rex Features, Guardian website <http://
[Link]/business/2010/may/20/famous-london-statue-maker-administration>,
(accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 2: Shimizu Y.(2011), Untitled, Drawger website, <[Link]

cat_id=528>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 3: Holland, B.(2006), Dare to Dream, HERA foundation Climb4Life, <http://

[Link]/about-hera/heratage/climb4life-poster-gallery/>, (accessed
18/11/2012)

Figure 4: Olbinski, R.(1995), New York Capital of the World, Bert Christensen's
Cyberspace Home blog, <[Link] , (accessed
18/11/2012)

Figure 5: Baseman G.(2003), Sweet Surrender, Gary Baseman on facebook, <https://

[Link]/[Link]>, (accesed 18/11/2012)

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Figure 6: Ryden M.(2001), The Magic Circus, Mark Ryden Official Website, <http://
[Link]/paintings/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 7: Ryden M.(2006), The Apology, Mark Ryden Official Website, <http://
[Link]/paintings/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 8: Ryden M.(2001), Little Boy Blue, Mark Ryden Official Website, <http://
[Link]/paintings/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 9: Ryden M.(1994), Saint Barbie, Mark Ryden Official Website, <http://
[Link]/paintings/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 10: Ryden M.(1991), Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous‘ ,My space Website, < http://
[Link]/markryden_art>,(accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 11: Ryden M.(2010), The Piano Player, Mark Ryden Official Website, <http://
[Link]/paintings/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 12: Ryden M.(2006), Allegory of the Four Elements, Mark Ryden Official Website,
<[Link] (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 13: (see Figure 12)

Figure 14: (see Figure 7)

Figure 15: Mazzoni M.(2012), The Mother, Marco Mazzoni on facebook, <https://
[Link]/[Link].71>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 16: Ryden M.(1998), The Pumpkin President, Mark Ryden Official Website,
<[Link] (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 17: Garcia C.R.(2006), Royal Disorder Subterranean Invasion, Jonathan LeVine
Gallery website, <[Link]
fuseaction=[Link]&Product_ID=147>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 18: (see Figure 9)

Figure 19: Ponzi E.(2011), Death of Post-moderinsm/what’s next, EIL Escape Into Life
website, <[Link] (accessed
18/11/2012)

Figure 20: Bosch H.(1480-1515), Garden of Earthly Delights, The Art Minute Website,
<[Link] (accessed 18/11/2012)

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Figure 21: Dali S.(1931), The Persistence of Memory, Reality Bites Art blog, <http://
[Link]/2011/01/bite-45-salvador-dali-persistence-of_25.html>,
(accessed 18/11/2012)

Figure 22: Goya, F.(1799), Hasta su abuelo, Peristilo Wordpress, <http://

[Link]/2009/07/07/goya/a06-hasta-su-abuelo-1799/>, (accessed
18/11/2012)

Figure 23: Magritte, R.(1940), Home sickness, Matteson Art blog, <http://
[Link]/[Link]>, (accessed
18/11/2012)

Figure 24: Ryden, M.(2008), Grotto of the Old Mass, Mark Ryden Official Website,
<[Link] (accessed 18/11/2012)

Literature

Alonzo, P.(2008), The Upset:Young contemporary art, Berlin: Gestalten

Anderson, K., Williams R., McCormick C., Reid L.,(2004), Pop Surrealism:The rise of
underground art, San Francisco: Last Gasp

Hall, A.(2011), Illustration, London: Lawrence King Publishing in association with Central
Saint Martins College of Art and Design, The University of the Arts London

McCormick, C.(2001), Anima Mundi: At play in the slaughterhouse of the American Pop,
San Francisco: Last Gasp

McLuhan M.(1967), The Medium is the Massage:An Inventory of Effects, New York:
Random House

Okazaki M.(2009), Snow yaks and yetis-an ice man cometh, The Japan Times, Mark
Ryden official Website, <[Link]
feb-2009/[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Van Heerden, F.(2008), Data Flow: Visualising information in Graphic Design, Berlin:
Gestalten

Warner, M.(1996), Monuments and Maidens:The allegory of the female form, London:
Vintage Random house

Zeegen, L.(2006), The fundamentals of illustration, Lausanne: AVA Publishing SA

Other sources

Editors of the New York Times(2010), Op-Ed at 40: Four Decades of Art Video, New York:
The New York Times Website, <[Link]
[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

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Holland B.(2010), Op-Ed at 40: Four Decades of Art Video, New York: The New York
Times Website, <[Link]
[Link]>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Hunt, S.(2012), Visual Rhetorics, Lecture/Class, Birmingham: Birmingham Institute of Art

and Design, unpublished

Online Dictionaries

Anon(2011), Allegory, The Online Dictionary Datasegment <http://

[Link]/word/allegory>,(accessed 18/11/2012)

Anon, Allegory, Online Etymology Dictionary, <[Link]

term=allegory>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Anon(2012), Allegory, The Free Dicionary By FarFlex, <[Link]

allegory>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Anon(2012), Allegory, Oxford English Dictionary Online, <[Link]

(accessed 18/11/2012)

Further Reading

Barthes, R.(2009), Mythologies:Revised vintage edition, London: Random House

Glueck G.(2001), Art in Review: Mark Ryden Bunnies and Bees, New York Times Website,
<[Link]
[Link]?>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Haden-Guest A.(2010), The King of old-time Kitsch, Blogs and stories, Mark Ryden official
Website, <[Link]
(accessed 18/11/2012)

Holland, B.(2010), Words and Pictures: Op Ed at 40 a personal recollection, Drawger

Website, <[Link]
section=articles&article_id=11374&start_date=1291179600&end_date=1293858000>,
(accessed 18/11/2012)

McLuhan M. and Watson W.(1970), From Cliché to Archetype, New York: Viking Press

Oh S.,Pricco E.(2011), Juxtapoz Illustration 2, Berkeley: Gingo Press Inc

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Phillips, B. and McQuarrie E.(2004), Beyond Visual Metaphor: A new typology of Visual
Rhetoric in Advertising, Sage Publications, <[Link]
4/1-2/113>, (accessed 18/11/2012)

Plato(2007), Lee D., Lane M., The Republic, London:Penguin Classics

Wiedemann J.(2009), Illustration Now Vol 3, China:Taschen

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