Summary <\/p>\n
Christian Rex van Minnen\u2019s Metanoia exhibition explores themes of transformation and the grotesque
\nNotable works include \u201cStill Life with Octopus in Vase and Upside Down Figure,\u201d blending classical still\u2011life with surreal distortions
\nOn view at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND until February 21, 2026<\/p>\n
Christian Rex van Minnen<\/a>\u2019s solo exhibition Metanoia at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND<\/a> marks his second major presentation with the gallery following his 2021 debut. Known for his surreal and unsettling imagery, van Minnen introduces new works that continue his exploration of psychological transformation, corporeality and the grotesque.<\/p>\n This exhibition represents a significant point in the artist\u2019s career, as indicated by the title Metanoia, which refers to a fundamental change in mind or a spiritual conversion. Based in Santa Cruz, California, van Minnen is renowned for his unique fusion of 17th-century Baroque oil techniques \u2013 inspired by masters such as Rembrandt and Rachel Ruysch \u2013 with 20th-century Surrealism and modern American underground culture.\n<\/p>\n The exhibition features 15 new oil paintings that showcase a dual approach to his craft: his signature grotesque surrealism and a new series he calls \u201cStraightforward\u201d still lifes. Notable large-scale works include \u201cStill Life with Snake in Vase and Upside Down Figure\u201d and \u201cStill Life with Octopus in Vase and Upside Down Figure,\u201d which exemplify his ability to blend majestic floral arrangements with jarring, visceral elements like octopuses and snakes. In contrast, his more classical still lifes, such as \u201cStill Life with Grapes, Melon, and Apples,\u201d reflect a newfound desire to celebrate nature and creation directly, rather than deconstructing or subverting traditional forms as he has done in the past.\n<\/p>\n The paintings invite viewers to reflect on whether to return to the comfort of tradition or continue blindly toward novelty, all while being immersed in a visual language that transcends the boundaries between the grotesque and the sublime. Metanoia will be on view at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND in Tokyo until February 21, 2026.\n<\/p>\n NANZUKA UNDERGOUND
3 Chome-30-10 Jingumae,
Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001,
Japan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summary Christian Rex van Minnen\u2019s Metanoia exhibition explores themes of transformation and the grotesque Notable works include \u201cStill…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":469230,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[449,458,459,64,63,460,134],"class_list":{"0":"post-469229","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-au","12":"tag-australia","13":"tag-design","14":"tag-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=469229"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/469229\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/469230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=469229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=469229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=469229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}