Grigbertz Update: Mountains and Monsters

And, oh yeah, naked girls in bondage. So neither of these are safe for work. First we have “Chained Up on Madness Mountain”. The landscape is surreal and dreamlike, and while she seems to be a center of stable coherency in the picture, her flowing hair certainly seems to be more a part of the misshapen terrain. Is the flying serpent near her a friend? What is that thing flying towards them? And why is she up there? As a sacrifice? Or is this the only way she can learn the vital clue she needs?

Next we have “Dungeon Encounter”. As one of the commentators says, it’s an excellent example of Mr. Ackergård’s “ability to combine cold brutality with gentle caretaking.” It’s striking work, but leaves me a little uninspired. I think it’s the lack of context. Why is she in the dungeon? Why is he there? His utter lack of ornamentation is odd. We have no hints about who he is, what his culture is like, or why he’s there. There’s too little for my imagination to catch on and weave a story from.

Still, if you’re the sort who enjoys just letting your imagination drift, needing only the most meager starting points, be sure to check out Mr. Ackergård’s tamer galleries. You’ll find dingbat hatchlings, anthropomorphized ink blots, and a cute druidess in a new category with the promising title “Savage Tide”. Cute and bizarre seems to be the order of the day, and his technique continues to inspire.