Every month, beautiful.bizarre chooses one of our favourite artists to TAKE OVER our social media for the day. On 11 July Brian M. Viveros took over beautiful.bizarre and we loved learning more about his inspirations and how they have affected his work and career.
Brian M. Viveros‘ unmistakable portraits of dark and powerful women encourage us to celebrate the sexiness, strength and beauty that resides in the female form. Right from the beginning beautiful.bizarre has loved Brian and his work. So just in case you missed Brian’s TAKE OVER of our social media earlier in July, we have compiled it for you below – Enjoy!
First and foremost, I want to say that I’m very honored to have been selected to take over beautiful.bizarre’s social media for the day. I have much dirty love and respect for the team at beautiful.bizarre and much dirty love to all of you, the readers. Beautiful.bizarre has always been my ally in art, spreading the word to all the DirtyTroops around the globe about my art, my exhibitions and when I release a new print to the world. It was an honor to be featured on the cover of their second issue, when they had just started out with the magazine. Since then I’ve become good friends with Editor- in-Chief Danijela Krha… her team is great and I tip my DirtyLand helmet to her. She is an amazing woman of power who definitely should have her own helmet emblazoned with the words ‘Bad Ass’ on it. I hope you enjoy my TAKE OVER and the eight inspiring artists that I grew up with, loved, and was influenced by ¬ featured in no particular order. They are my heroes, my inspiration, and they have helped me along my path to the DirtyLand you all know and love. So here we go.
My favorite painting would have to be my first ‘Bull-Fight-Her’ from 2009. Selecting a favorite painting was very tough for me, I was really torn between ‘Bull-Fight-Her’ and my first DirtyLand painting from 2007. The DirtyLand painting pretty much started the whole DirtyLand Army and set the tone for the smoking bad girls, you’ve come to know and love. The DirtyLand piece connects more to me emotionally, because it was the piece that allowed me to really see clearly who I was and where I wanted go with my art. However, as far as my favorite painting goes, the one that my heart goes to would have to be that first ‘Bull-Fight-Her’ 2009. There’s something very powerful about it and, for me, she really embodies the true victorious one. She speaks loud in her pose looking downward in a somber gaze, reflecting on what she’s overcome. We have all been there – we all bleed and take hits, but we get up, dust off and move forward. The ‘Bull-Fight-Her’ stands tall, she bleeds passion with her red jacket on, and there is vibrancy of life in the blood red rose that she wears in her hair. The narrative of her personal struggle is up to you to interpret but ultimately, like all my girls, she represents strength and power carrying out a universal message of survival. It is through her I try to express our collective resilience and refusal to succumb to the battle. Hopefully, you can feel that, if that makes sense. The ‘Bull-Fight-Her’ will always forever be my favorite painting.
“There is warmth in the blood and there is life in the rose.” BMV
‘Bull-Fight-Her’ 2009
Egon Schiele ( Standing Nude Girl, 1910 )
This image, I must say, was huge to me early on in my career. When I first found Schiele, I became lost in the beauty and form of his women. He did a lot of self-portraits, but it was the way he painted the female figure that really moved me, captivated me, and haunted me. There was a dark twisted eroticism to the way he contorted and deformed figures in these beautiful bizarre movements, that was just beauty in its rawest form to me. There was a period during my very early years when I was doing art in this type of style, where the bodies were more contorted and I saw the figure as just shapes. Those were my baby steps to get to where I’m at now, but WOW what an inspiration he has been to me. Egon’s artistry and draftsmanship was phenomenal. His influence helped me tremendously in my painting career.
Egon Schiele ( Standing Nude Girl, 1910 )
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Alphonse Mucha (“Job” Cigarettes ad. 1898)
My first introduction to the world of Alphonse Mucha was in these amazing poster ads for ‘Job Cigarettes’. When I started to dig deeper into his art, I was just blown away by his presentation and stylized works, done with an Art Nouveau feel that was completely signature to him. His combination of a beautiful painted female figure within a bold outline, rich decoration and extravagant lettering really defined his signature style. He did it all and Mucha’s art spoke loud, I was so drawn to that. He kept the figure strong, easy to read, fierce and always bold! This helped me learn about presentation when I was doing commercial illustration way back in the day. What a genius he was, and truly a huge inspiration to me. This image was the one that opened my eyes to the importance of having a signature style and really making it yours. Mucha was a true inspiration and will always be badass forever!
Alphonse Mucha (“Job” Cigarettes ad. 1898)
Alberto Vargas ( Memories of Olive 1920 )
Vargas holds a very special place in my heart because he introduced me to the world of pin-up. When I first saw his painting ‘Memories of Olive’ I was floored. The softness of his touch is what really drew me to his work. He stands in his own category, not even pin-up… and when it’s a ‘Vargas Girl’, you immediately know it. I was taken by his ability to focus on the singular figure.
That’s why I choose to do that in my paintings and put all my energy into one girl, giving her full attention, detail, love, blood, passion, all of me. Vargas didn’t focus on backgrounds, everything you needed was told through the flow of the figure, and the softness in the details of his females. It’s like you want to hold them close and make them yours, at least that’s what I felt when taking in his girls. I leave with this quote from the master Vargas, “What is more beautiful than a beautiful girl?” VIVA VARGAS!!!
Alberto Vargas ( Memories of Olive 1920 )
H.R. Giger ( Li 1 1974)
My introduction to the work of H.R. Giger began with his illustrations in the ‘Necronomicon’, which were unlike anything I had ever seen, I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was always a weird kid that saw the world a little upside down, finding Giger was a truly special moment for me. A friend had let me borrow his copy of the ‘Necronomicon’ and I didn’t want to give it back. Giger’s art haunted me and excited me, he could put such surreal beauty and darkness on paper, it inspired me to do that too. Because of Giger, I taught myself to use the airbrush, to open my mind and just let things go… it is a really unforgiving tool, it pushes you to just work and let go. Working this way allowed my mind to open up to a more surreal, free flowing, style.
H.R. Giger ( Li 1 1974)
You readers might not know this, but my first exhibit was with H.R. Giger in a group exhibition in Switzerland back in 1997, organized by his agent Les Barany. Through that show I became good friends with Giger and Mr. Barany, we are still friends today. My work then was much more loose and surreal; I was still searching and finding my way, but man it was just amazing to be showing with someone I looked up to. I later went on to have my first solo show in Switzerland in 2004 where the biggest dream of life came true, H.R. Giger invited me and my wife to spend the day at his home in Zurich where I got to see the ‘Ghost T rain’ and his ‘Zodiac Fountain’. We had drinks, talked about art, and traded prints. It was a truly surreal and unforgettable day in my life. Forever H.R. Giger will be a part of my life.
Brian M. Viveros and H.R. Giger
Frank Frazetta (Egyptian Queen 1969)
Frank Frazetta’s work was first shown to me by my father. When I was a kid, he would read ‘Conan the Barbarian’ books to me and he collected the old ‘Conan the Barbarian’ magazine comics. We would draw from the early Frazetta books making up our own warriors; this exercise taught me so much as a child. My dad shared with me how important Frazetta was in the world of art, showing me the passion in his paintings that would touch your soul and take you into that fantasy world. His paintings and cover art have always stood out to me as having so much feeling; they really would put me in this world of his. I so much admired his draftsmanship and the way he would set up of these beautiful scenes so poetically. Specifically his ‘Death Dealer’ and ‘Conan’ paintings are just beautiful; they will forever be branded into my heart and soul. For me he changed the comic world with his art, from his beautiful brush and ink work to his iconic paintings, Frazetta will always be one my favorites and a huge inspiration to me.
Frank Frazetta (Egyptian Queen 1969)
Maya Deren ( Filmmaker, choreographer, film theorist, poet, lecturer, writer , photographer / promoter of the avant-garde 1940 and 1950s )
My list of inspirational artists just wouldn’t be complete without including the great Maya Deren. Many of you may not know this, but aside from the Dirtyland world of my smoking bad girl paintings, I am also a filmmaker. I have been making experimental, surreal, underground, art films since 2005. Maya Daren is a true artist that opened by eyes to the type of films I really love and wanted to make, specifically her film ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ (1943). It was something I couldn’t really put into words when I first viewed it. Through her creative editing, distinct camera angles, and slow motion, this surrealist film depicts a world in which it is more and more difficult to catch a glimpse of reality. I’m right there with her on this, trying to catch the pieces and make them fit into a puzzle that has no end, but nothing fits and that’s what I’m drawn to, if that makes any sense. These visions and thoughts throughout her films are an experience, of just letting things fall and unfold, even if the pieces don’t fit. Seeing her work was just eye opener for me, a trigger to react to what I’ve always loved. If you love experimental cinema please look her up and watch her films, they are what inspired me to make my first surreal film ‘Dislandia’ (2005) Viva Maya Deren!
Andy Warhol (Gold Marilyn Monroe 1962 )
What I admire about Warhol, and why he is such an inspiration to me, was his drive and business sense. He was a workaholic and I’m kind of from the same mold. Warhol created his own empire, pushing the limits with his art and films; he built a world where he himself became more important than his paintings. There’s something very powerful to be said about that, I admire the idea of making your art a business, it’s something I’ve always looked up to and encourage others to do who are just starting out. Warhol worked hard and had a mindset of building a structured business empire. If art is going to be your life, and you know deep inside that’s all you have, all you bleed, and all you can do well, then take it really fucking seriously and make it your business. Don’t let people walk all over you. I believe Warhol said, “Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” I chose this ‘Marilyn Gold’ piece as one of my favorites because it’s definitely one of Warhol’s most iconic, powerful works, and I’m a big fan a gold. I love the way the gold in this particular Marilyn draws you in. I’ve seen the original and it’s just awesome, both in size and in color.
Andy Warhol (Gold Marilyn Monroe 1962 )
Dan Quintana (TidePool 2013 )
I’m so lucky that I actually own the original of this painting, which is my favorite by my long time homie and brother from another… Mr. Dan Quintana. His paintings dig so deep, it’s stabbing my soul as I write these words down trying to explain his amazing talent and what his art means to me. Bleeding oils, bleeding beauty, his usage of colors and ideas of the surreal in this painting haunt me in that ever so good kind of way. His paintings take me to this dreamlike world where the doors continue to open and open and open. It’s like you’re reaching for something but you just can’t grab it. I like that feeling. His work as a whole is very inspiring to me. I’ve known Dan a long time and I’m just honored that I’ve been able to collaborate on some pretty epics paintings and do some epic ‘Desensitized’ shows with this down ass homie who continues to grow and inspire me. Cheers brutha, this one’s for you!
Dan Quintana (TidePool 2013)
A collaboration between Dan and Brian!
Big thank you to beautiful.bizarre for this opportunity and for allowing me to take over for the day. It’s been exciting, it’s been magical, it’s been real.
Brian M. Viveros was beautiful.bizarre issue 002 cover artist. Gorgeous right!
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