Beyond Reality

22 January 2016 – 27 FEBRUARY 2016

Exploring the theme of reality, Mulan Gallery invites viewers to question the notion that photographs present the most lifelike representation of the world as we know it. Beyond Reality is an exhibition showcasing 5 exceptional talents working in the realm of hyperrealism.

Masters of creating photorealistic art pieces that blur the line between photography and sketchwork, this exhibition features selected works by Emanuele Dascanio (Italy), Kang Hyung Koo (Korea), Paul Cadden (Scotland), Philipp Weber (Germany) and Yun Wee Dong (Korea).

These intense expressions of life invite the viewer to look deeper into the subject matter. So accurately crafted and portrayed in the artists’ chosen medium, these photorealistic visuals intrigue the senses, and compel the viewer to look beyond appearances and to question the essence of reality as they know it.

Emanuele Dascanio exhibits depth and maturity in the two charcoal and graphite pieces: My father does not want a divorce with “Die Mutter.” This is my father. and Libertas. Having trained under renowned Italian artist Gianluca Corona, the young Italian blends the warmness of the Renaissance style of painting with a flair for exceptional detail. In this selection of paintings, he draws inspiration from the coldness of iconic Flemish poetry. Complimenting the lightness and darkness of his realistic portraits, the frame is set for the fine details in the respective pieces, and imagery they present, to stimulate thought in themes such as ‘the condition of art’ and the idea of ‘freedom’. A winner of many awards in painting, Dascaniowas born in Garbagnate Milanese in 1983 and graduated from the Art School of Arese Lucio Fontana.

Working with oil paint, Kang Hyung Koo creates extremely realistic portraits of iconic personalities such as Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe although his extensive body of work includes movers and shakers spanning Princess Diana, Andy Warhol, Audrey Hepburn, and Salvador Dali. Playing upon his subjects’ eyes as the focal point of his work, Korea-born Kang’s portraiture then invites viewers in to appreciate other character-defining features such as facial contours and the shape and expression of nose, mouth, and hair, used by the artist to imbue life into his paintings. To Kang, the aspiration has always been to capture the essence of his subjects—their public/personal selves—in one image. A Bachelor of Fine Arts holder from Chungang University in Seoul, Kang’s work has been shown and collected in Korea, Southeast Asia, the USA, and the United Kingdom. The artist has also seen many of his works go under the hammer at Christie’s auctions in recent years.

Paul Cadden, hyperrealism is a way to ‘intensify the normal’ and create a new reality that stirs the emotion and intrigues the viewer. In Beyond Reality, Cadden presents two excellent works of pencil on paper – NVA 15 and Totality – to invite the viewer to observe the world we live in and to reflect how often we fail to notice and appreciate the detail that surrounds us. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Cadden studied Print Design and Illustration at the Glasgow College of Building and Printing and later studied Animation and Illustration at the James Watt College.

To German artist Philipp Weber, hyperrealism is a tool to weave a story that goes beyond what is conveyed by a realistic image. His compositions of portraits feature women as muse, stylised like a photo shoot in a glossy magazine that would pique male interest. Working with oil on linen, he plays leverages texture and colour to draw attention to things one might otherwise overlook in a photographic image. Educated at the University of Fine Art in Kassel, and the University of Fine Art in Berlin, Weber invites audiences to look into what lies beneath the uncertain surface in his paintings, White Heart 11: Kristina and Bless 9: Antonia.

Using watercolour on paper in his works: Contrast 80 and Thinking 5, Yun Wee Dong shows off the fragility of his subjects in his compositions. With characteristic finesse, the artist painstakingly captures the details – such as hair particles, pores, and even layers of fingernail, to achieve his delicate style of realism. At once sensual and hyperrealistic, closer inspection of his work reveals contrasting imperfections such as the veins on the subject’s arms, the position of the limbs, and the thoughtfulness of the gaze. The details come together to present a contrasting portrayal that takes the viewer beyond the initial impression. Yun earned his Bachelor in Fine Art from the Chung-An University in Anseong, South Korea.