| Keyth Ryden | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Keith Ryden |
| Born | March 4, 1953 |
| Nationality | American |
| Field | Visual Art |
| Movement | Surrealism, Cartooning, Commercial Art, Pop Art |
KRK Ryden (born March 4, 1953) is an American visual artist.
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Ryden's surrealistic art style is reflective of his taste in cartoons and pulp art. His work is described as "colorful and visually appealing reflections on discarded icons".
KRK Ryden grew up in California and for his first two years in high school attended a school in Castro Valley. While in high school, he was assigned to do a report on Surrealism in art class.[1] This would change his artistic style forever as it opened up an entirely foreign and new world to him. Later on in his high school career he had an art teacher he completely revolutionized his style, teaching him technique and giving him inspiration.
Ryden changed his name from Keith to Keyth in 1977 for "numberoligical [sic] reasons" and to differentiate himself from his father's first name.[2]
Ryden took up the theremin in 2003 and created a band called Ken the Magic Corner God. With his theremin, and Josh Mcleod on keyboards, they have recorded one studio album. Their most famous performance was with Mark Mothersbaugh as Booji Boy singing the DEVO song "U Got Me Bugged".[3]
He is also most famous for illustrating DEVO's Brainwasher Magazine.[4]
Keyth is the older brother of famous visual artist Mark Ryden.[5]
Ryden now lives in Martinez, California.
He created Keyth Ryden Visual in the 1970s, which was later changed to Keyth Ryden Kreations, or KRK. This, in turn, would become his professional name. He is currently contemplating changing it to Glob Studios.
Ryden curated his first art show in Phoenix, Arizona called "The Panelists" in early 2009.
KRK has done a myriad of work for the band DEVO. He appears annually at the band's "DEVOtionals" held in Cleveland, Ohio. The day before each DEVOtional, KRK holds a solo art show at the Asterisk Gallery.
He also did the cover art for the band's Recombo DNA release.
One of KRK Ryden's most memorable art shows was a two-man show with DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh called "Dos Mutatos". Notable guests included Weird Al Yankovic and Jihad Jerry.[6]