There is a measured and psychedelic cast of protagonists in Ansel Krut’s paintings that revel in absurd creativity.

Fans, vortexes, geometric angles, dynamic shapes and judiciously placed eyebrows recur throughout his compositions – suggesting physical form to a menagerie of exotic dancers, pipe smokers and deviants.

An essay from Nigel Cooke accompanies this selection of Krut’s abject portraiture from 2004 – 2011.

Ansel Krut was born in 1959, in Cape Town, South Africa. He now lives and works in London.