Originally from New Mexico, Oakland based artist Grady Gordon creates dark and surreal monotype prints of frightful creatures. He describes his style of work as “Monster Existentialism”, Rorschach inkblot test-like images portraying the psychology of his subjects. He creates his images first using a crude mark making tool in black ink on plexiglass, then removes the ink to reveal the final print. The nature of monotype printing makes it impossible to repeat any image, making each piece a one of a kind that conveys his monster’s individual personalities. Inspired by mythology, Gordon seeks to find the shared qualities between ourselves and all beings, even those in a state of dying or decay. For example, in his recent exhibition, “NACHTBADEN”, he printed a series of works inspired by the German myth “Nixe”, water spirits that lured unfortunate souls to their death. His themes reflect on the Buddhist concept of impermanence, which states that of all of conditioned existence, without exception, is transient. In his statement, Gordon says, “In some strange way, the work suggest we are all human, even when some of us are dead or a bit decayed.”
Grady Gordon will exhibit at City College of San Francisco from August 14th through September 9th.
Studying mythology allows one to examine how the values of contemporary culture are transmitted through history. Tying a thread between past and present, Portland's 
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