English in front of 'Status Faction', featuring his clever and rather unsettling take on John Pasche's iconic Rolling Stones lips-and-tongue logo

It’s been a little while since 2009’s Lazarus Rising at Elms Lesters Painting Rooms, the last UK solo exhibition by Ron English. Two years and a gallery switch later, the pop surrealist, street artist and culture jammer is back — in the streets as well as indoors with Skin Deep: Post-Instinctual Afterthoughts On Psychological Portraiture, his new solo effort (previewed) at Lazarides Gallery in London. English confirmed to AM that the show’s 16 canvases (on display with a couple of sculptures) have been 12 months in the making. The exhibition continues until 23 July.

See more photos of the works and snapshots from the 23 June opening after the jump.

'Virgin Romance' (detail)

'Mousemask Murphy with Skeleton'. Oil, synthetic polymer paint and collage on canvas. 91 cm x 132 cm

'Master of the Comic Cabin'. Oil on canvas. 122 cm x 122 cm

'Milk Made'. Oil, synthetic polymer paint and collage on canvas. 152 cm x 122 cm

'Comic Washington'. Oil on canvas. 122 cm x 91 cm

'Ben Is On The Money'. Oil on canvas. 122 cm x 91 cm

'Ben Is On The Money' (detail)

'Graveyard Guernica'. Oil, synthetic polymer paint and collage on canvas. 183 cm x 457 cm

'Graveyard Guernica' (detail)

English drawing on a fan's shirt outside the gallery

Text and photographs by Patrick Nguyen.