There is no hiding in the hyperreal. This edit reveals eight artists who use intense detail.
First coined by French sociologist Jean Baudrillard, hyperreal expands on notions from Hyperreality — a term that evokes the symbolism of life through representation in the arts. Through these artists, we explore how notes of , , and feed through hyperreal art to capture a moment of time, an emotion, or a memory central to the human experience.
A painting by in | Photography by
Martine Emdur
Describing water as a continual state of renewal and restless movement, captures these aqua settings in her hyperreal paintings. With her subjects tangled and submerged in waves, activity, life, and the human experience are represented through a careful application of paint that revels in the details. Smouldering scenes feature a balance of light and shadow for a hypnotic effect.
Cj Hendry
Known internationally for her hyperreal drawings, Australian artist ’s work plays with the viewer’s perspective. Seemingly a photograph or a blob of paint, the drawings are intense in detail; the artist’s hand completely dissolves as the subject takes control of the medium. Arguably the most well-known hyperreal artist, Cj has collaborated with renowned brands such as Christian Louboutin, and her work is held in collections worldwide.
Cally Lotz
Melbourne-based artist uses the empty vessel in her paintings to narrate concepts akin to complex psychological states such as containment, austerity, and isolation. “My work continues to explore concepts of containment within the psychological context,” the artist shares. Using formal aspects of traditional representational painting, the artworks also invite contemporary art concepts through a vivid colour palette and everyday objects that expose our current times.
Julie Davidson
fuses Western theories of Still Life art with Taoist calligraphy paintings, capturing radiant qualities of light. Her artworks depict the fleeting moments of floral arrangments, posing aesthetic meditative reflections in a realism style. “I use dramatic light to capture the essence of the moment, whether it be the highlighting of a seemingly insignificant object or the capture of a fleeting gaze or gesture,” Julie says.
Melanie McCollin-Walker
Capturing the untamed beauty of the Tasmanian wilderness, ’s evocative contemporary landscapes blend memory and perception with hyperreal precision. The Barbados-born, now Hobart-based artist uses paintings to engage meditative contemplation through atmospheric, light-filled, and intricate paintings.
Simon Barlow
Hypnotic folds of luscious blooms entice the audience into ‘s hyperreal oeuvre. Inspired by the natural world and its repeated cycles of life and death, Barlow captures the surrealist beauty of delicate ecosystems, inviting influence from traditional notions of Still Life paintings by the great Baroque artist Caravaggio. “The ‘organs of reproduction’ of plants, they sprout, bloom and die, representing the cycle of life and every earthly organism’s mortality,” Simon attests.
Bronwyn Hill
Brisbane-based artist depicts herself and the world around her in intense detail — the hyperreal elements are captured in bright colours, often a lone figure interacting with nature. In the photo-real oil paintings, Bronwyn captures scenes ‘full of poetic narratives and gentle observation’, evocative of personal solitude. The works are imbued with a sense of stillness and contemplation.
Cedar Jeffs
Northern Rivers-based artist explores the complexities of human behaviour in a realist style. Her paintings are filled with symbolism; the portraits are obscured with birds or odd bits of furniture. As such, much of Cedar’s work explores the inner workings of an introvert’s mind — hiding from the world.
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