indesignlive.com Special Report: Australian Hyper-Realist Sculptors

Patricia Piccinini’s evocative hyper-realist sculptures wowed the art world in 2003 when she represented Australia at the Venice Biennale.

March 10th, 2008

Hyper-realist art sculptures force the viewer to respond to the artwork as they would to the presence of the real thing. The work of Australian artist Patricia Piccinini certainly does that.

Chosen to represent Australia at the 2003 Venice Biennale with her art collection, ‘We are Family’ (pictured above), Piccinini’s art captured the hearts of viewers from around the world.

Her evocative art reflects her interests in world issues such as bioethics, biotechnologies and the environment.

patriciapiccinini.net/

Piccinini is often compared to Australian artist-of-the-moment Ron Mueck, who’s work is currently on show at the Andy Warhol museum, Pittsburgh until March 30.

Mueck’s sculptures reproduce perfect details of the human body, but play with scale to produce stunning visual images.

His works explore the ambiguous relationship between reality and artifice, creating figures that seem to be alive. Every detail is crafted to perfection that the result is convincing and emotive.

Mueck’s early career as a puppeteer would be notable to Generation X’ers for his involvement in cult film ’The Labyrinth’.

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