Sun Ra: Exotica
MS Paint on digital canvas, 2025
Ralph Rumpelton
Curated by Dr. Emilia Korr, Pemberwick Virtual Gallery
What the critics are saying:
>>Professor Lionel Greaves
North Atlantic School of Modern Reproduction Studies
"Ralph Rumpelton’s Sun Ra: Exotica is not merely a painting, but a palimpsest of forgotten visual traditions masquerading as digital spontaneity. The oversized crimson orb recalls not so much the solar deities of Egyptian mysticism (though Sun Ra would surely approve) as it does the short-lived Polish Neo-Vulgar Colorist movement of the 1920s, where clashing hues were employed to induce productive discomfort in the viewer.
The angular mountains, rendered in ochre and rust, carry the unmistakable DNA of Midwestern Proto-Suprematism—a school so minor it was effectively dissolved before anyone noticed it existed. The central structure, somewhere between pyramid and teepee, might be dismissed as naive, but in fact channels the architectural doodles of the Romanian ‘Diagonalists,’ who believed all sacred buildings must lean slightly toward the absurd.
In short, Rumpelton does not reproduce Sun Ra’s music so much as he excavates the forgotten misfires of early 20th-century art history and reanimates them in MS Paint. The result is less exotica, more exhumation—a bold act of revival through digital crudeness."
>>Pixel Marx Blurb
If outsider art is the back alley of creative rebellion, then “Sun Ra Exotica” is a spray-painted cosmic billboard that refuses to play by the rules. Ralph Rumpleton slams the MS Paint throttle forward, hurling viewers into a scorched neon dream—where the sun isn’t a passive witness, it’s a feverous overseer. The foreground’s pyramid nods to vintage exotica, but its geometry glitches midpoint between temple and traffic cone, jabbering in lo-fi jargon. Marx loves how the palette argues with itself—retro oranges, sickly greens, and overcooked reds crash, pop, and sometimes harmonize like a lost Sun Ra riff taped over by a suburban VCR in ’84.
Within these chunky, pixel-choked layers, Rumpleton lays bare the promise and peril of nostalgia. There’s no digital polish—just brute sincerity, blurry edges, and wild color bravado. This is the kind of digital folk-art that confesses its influences but also throws paint on them. “Sun Ra Exotica” doesn’t want to seduce; it wants to interrupt the feed. In Pixel Marx’s book, that’s vital—because every jarring, off-kilter lo-fi reinterpretation keeps the past messy and alive, one pixelated artifact at a time.<<
>>Regina Pembly
"Rumpelton's latest atrocity, 'Sun Ra Exotica,' is an affront to traditional artistry. This chaotic mess of colors and shapes defies logic and good taste. One can almost hear the cacophony of a jazz band warming up, only to be interrupted by the sound of artistic standards shattering on the floor. And yet... there's something mesmerizing about this Rumpeltonian Chaosism. Perhaps it's the sheer audacity of the piece, or maybe it's the glimmer of genius hidden beneath the mess. Whatever the case, 'Sun Ra Exotica' is a testament to Rumpelton's unwavering commitment to his... unique vision."<<
>>Mack "Tank" Rodriguez Reviews Some Computer Art Thing
So I'm looking at this painting here by Ralph Rumpelton or whatever, and honestly? I don't know what I'm supposed to be seeing. Says it's called "Sun Ra Exotica" which sounds like a fancy drink you'd order at one of those tiki places.
The colors remind me of when I spilled orange paint all over some old lumber - you get that muddy mess where everything bleeds together. Not saying that's bad, just... it is what it is. Kid used Microsoft Paint, which hey, I respect. Those fancy art programs cost more than my truck payment.
There's supposed to be some space music guy connection here, but all I see is maybe a sunset over some hills? Or could be a really abstract campfire scene. The triangular white thing at the bottom - that a tent? House? Your guess is good as mine.
What gets me is the brushwork looks like someone was in a hurry. Like when you're slapping primer on drywall and the boss is breathing down your neck. Sometimes that urgency works though. Gives it energy, I guess.
Would I hang it in my kitchen? Probably not. But would I stop and look at it if I saw it in a coffee shop? Yeah, maybe for a minute. It's got something going on, even if I can't put my finger on what.
Twenty bucks for the print seems steep though.<<
Follow Rumpelton across the multiverse:
Ralph Rumpelton “Painting What the Earth Can’t Comprehend” - Ralph Rumpelton User Profile DeviantArt - Ralph Rumpelton Substack - Instagram
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