# Biomorphic Oil Paintings Bizarre People-Free Portraits By Tinkalicious | Published 2008-12-13 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biomorphic-portraits-the-art-of-christian-rex-van-minnen References: [myloveforyou.typepad](http://myloveforyou.typepad.com/my_love_for_you/2008/11/qa-with-christi.html) & [seevanminnen](http://www.seevanminnen.com/) At first glance, these '[portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-portraits)' by Christian Rex Van Minnen look like paintings of faces, albeit extremely strange and contorted ones. However, upon closer inspection, they are actually interpretations of his fascination with all aspects of [anatomy, physiology and biology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biomimicry-fashion). The resulting abstractions are truly fascinating. Christian Rex Van Minnen's description of "underpainting a primordial soup of paint and information" accurately describes his [biomorphic oil painted images](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/neojomon-biomorphic-fantme). While the process can also be described as "creating a portrait without a sitter," there is a presence in the art that still sticks to the basic prerequisite artistic elements of a stable pyramid, centric oval and rectangle--but that's where the concessions to traditional portraiture end. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.1/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 23% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Biomorphic Art:** There is an opportunity for artists to explore the intersection of art and science through biomorphic oil paintings, creating truly unique interpretations of anatomy and biology. - **Portrait Reimagined:** Artists have the opportunity to push the limits of traditional portraiture by reimagining the human form through abstraction and distortion. - **Anatomical Fascination:** There is a trend towards artists exploring and interpreting the fascinating elements of anatomy and physiology through their artwork. ### Who This Affects Most - **Art and Design:** The art and design industry can explore new avenues of creativity through the creation of biomorphic paintings that merge the fields of science and art. - **Museums and Galleries:** Museums and galleries have the opportunity to showcase unique and fascinating artwork that pushes the boundaries of traditional portraiture. - **Healthcare and Education:** The healthcare and education industries can utilize biomorphic artwork as an educational tool to educate and inspire about the complexities of human anatomy and physiology. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Archival Pigment Art Print](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/parallax.md) - [Biology-Inspired Porcelain Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shiyuan-xu.md) - [Dark Abstracted Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-minyades-exhibition.md) - [Otherwordly Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/william-monk.md) - [3D-Printed Colorful Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/olivier-van-herpt-1.md) - [Oil Painting-Inspired Rugs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/antonio-santn.md) - [Abstract Geometric Solo Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/impermanent-state-of-being.md) - [Anamorphic Fuzzy Glowing Vessels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alien-vases.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md)