# Gothic Apocalyptic Paintings Brain Mashburn's Artwork is Both Bleak and Hopeful By Farida Helmy | Published 2014-02-16 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apocalyptic-paintings References: [faithistorment](http://www.faithistorment.com/2014/02/paintings-by-brian-mashburn.html) & [brianmashburnart](http://brianmashburnart.com/gallery/canvas/) If you're looking for moving artwork, why not go for the most dramatic scenes of all and indulge in [post apocalyptic paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alastair-philip-wiper) that will both excite you and make you appreciative of what you have now? In these apocalyptic painting scenes by artist Brain Mashburn, you can feel the struggle between nature, culture and industry. Mashburn's [meticulous oil paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/painting-exhibition) of gothic beauty poignantly express the issues of our escalating urban and population problems; you can feel it from the almost polluted and drab landscape in his brushstrokes and the colors he uses. Mashburn's [surreal landscape paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surreal-street-art-1) feature spaces where trees, clouds and lonely figures are a front for an almost Industrial Age looking backdrop. Painting with what he calls, "the soul of a hopeless romantic and the dark humor of a cynic," Mashburn bleak artwork somehow give hope for a better future. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.2/10 - Popularity: 43% | Activity: 45% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Life](https://www.trendhunter.com/life) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Post-apocalyptic Art:** Opportunity for artists and galleries to embrace the popularity of post-apocalyptic themes and create art that explores the intersection of nature, culture, and industry. - **Urban and Population Issues:** Businesses and organizations can address the challenges of escalating urbanization and population growth through innovative solutions and initiatives. - **Surreal Landscape Painting:** Artists and art collectors can explore the genre of surreal landscape painting, blending elements of nature and industry to create visually captivating and thought-provoking pieces. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Art Galleries:** Opportunity for art galleries to curate exhibitions featuring post-apocalyptic art, connecting with a growing audience that appreciates dystopian themes. - **Urban Planning:** Urban planning professionals can utilize the themes portrayed in post-apocalyptic art to address the challenges of urban and population issues, sparking creative solutions for sustainable city development. - **Fine Art Market:** The fine art market can embrace the demand for surreal landscape paintings and offer unique artworks that resonate with collectors seeking thought-provoking and visually impactful pieces. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Destructive Nature Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/keita-miyazaki.md) - [Otherwordly Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/william-monk.md) - [Dark Abstracted Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-minyades-exhibition.md) - [Art-Appreciating Hazy IPAs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artistic-hazy-ipas.md) - [Post-Pandemic Art Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bonami.md) - [Digital City-Inspired Art Works](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-central-station.md) - [Post-Pandemic Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lakwena-maciver.md) - [Colossal AI Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-artwork.md) - [Otherworldly Wooden Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wooden-sculptures-1.md)