Delightful and twisted definitely works when describing Max Neutra‘s aesthetic and live painting shows. Bold, honest, and at times shocking wouldn’t be out of place either. You be the judge, meet him in person at our “End Days” get-together this weekend. Whether it’s beauty in nature or the grotesque in mankind, the man is fueled by a fascination with the physiological psychology of the creative act. He believes that artistic processes, while informed by science, ultimately come from the unconscious limbic system of the brain and are mysterious. He explains… “The subject is just an excuse to paint the line. It’s the line itself that speaks, and it always speaks the truth.”

We tossed Max a few questions, make the jump to read our interview.

Introduce yourself to Lost In A Supermarket readers.
Hi, I’m Max Neutra, and I want to know more about you than you are likely comfortable with.

What do the words “End Days” mean to you?
The first thing that comes to mind is the end of the world. I think it would be a shame for the world to end, but I also believe that we will ultimately get what we deserve, good or bad. Dread, for sure, but not fear. Maybe a little exciting.

What would you like people to say about you and/or your work when you’re gone?
I just hope that my sincerity comes through. I think a lot of people see my work and assume that I have “issues”, and I do (we all do). I’m not concerned about that though. I just want people to know that I was real.

What—outside of other artists or heroes—has influenced your art the most?
Music has played a huge part of my creative growth. I wrote electronic music for 8 years before I started painting, and I still have a close connection with the music scene. I often paint live at events that have bands or djs, and there’s no denying that the music is influential in what I paint. I think that this is partially because when I paint I try to have it reflect a truth from within, and if I’m in some jamming club and feeling (or hating) the music, then I tap into those feelings as I look inward for inspiration.

Some bands I’m feeling right now:
Tweak Bird
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Kelp
Architeq

Other major influences are roller coaster emotions, corporate jobs, stimulants, animals, social behavior, technology, the never ending search for weird. Other artists/heros: Ralph Steadman, Robert Crumb, Egon Schiele, Richard Neutra, Mark Mothersbaugh,

Of all the work you’ve created, can you name a couple that you have a special love for or connection to?
One piece that immediately comes to mind is an ink drawing I made after a long drive through hanus traffic. I called it “No Faith In Humanity“, and it was the most raw piece I made at that time. It somehow captured the emotion I was feeling at the time. That little nugget of raw angst. It was important because it showed me how far I could go. How much of myself I could inject into a painting.

In general, I am not very attached to my work once it is done. The attachment is fleeting, and once the piece is done, I’m more interested in the next adventure.

If you were Lost In A Supermarket, what aisle would we find you in?
This question is kinda confusing. How does one get lost in a super market? And if you knew what aisle you were in, you would not be lost, right? Sorry, but I fucking hate super markets. All the crap food and stimulus overload. Pretty colors and smiles trying to sell you health, nutrition, convenience and happiness, when the underlying truth is really machines, poop, and landfill. Dodging shopping carts. Tabloid magazines. Whenever I go grocery shopping, it’s always all business, in and out as fast as possible. There is no lollygagging, and being lost would be hell. I think that’s how I am with all shopping in general.

Hmmm…if a can of beans hit me in the head and I was wondering around the supermarket in a daze, you probably find me looking for ice cream…or whiskey…or my wife . I love all those things.