Hyperrealistic Paintings Reveal the Animalistic Inner Selves of NYC Subway Riders

[MerryBlooms]

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When viewing artist Matthew Grabelsky’s work, you’d swear you’re looking at a photograph... until you see the elephant in the room—or cheetah or zebra. The Los Angeles-based hyperrealistic painter fuses human portraits of New York City subway riders with the heads of animals, transforming the underground into a surreal jungle of its own.

The characters in Grabelsky’s paintings act as if there’s nothing out of the ordinary about their appearance. They don business attire, brave the rush-hour commute, and pass the time by perusing the latest GQ magazine. The inclusion of their furry (or scaly) faces adds an element of the extraordinary to events that occur every day.

While these figures bring some unexpected fun to a crowded ride, they’re imbued with symbolism. The man/beast dyad is seen throughout history in mythologies and religions around the world. Here, Grabelsky has applied a pop-culture aesthetic to a long-standing concept, using it to represent what’s going on in the hidden subconscious of these characters. For an idea of what’s beneath their human mask, we only need to look at the animal representing them—their temperament, desires, and motivations are revealed through the spirit of the creatures.

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/matthew-grabelsky-animal-subway-paintings

[rug]

1. I learned more riding the subway to school than I did after I got there.

[msongs]

2. one notices that the female humans all look like female humans nt

[REP]

3. Almost look like female humans

Many look like pretty good digital renderings, but not quite photo- or hyperrealist. I found the series a bit too precious, but I'm old.

[TalkingDog]

4. I'm with you. Not photo or hyperrealist. I'd call them "magic realism" or surrealism.

I never got why they changed photorealism to hyperrealism anyway. It's basically the same style.

[REP]

5. Hyper is supposedly even more obsessively detailed

But as I said, I'm old - I remember Duane Hanson and pieces that were about more than "look what I can do." Throughout the ages, there have been artists with astounding draft skills - Vermeer and Dalí come immediate to mind - and many modern hypers' skill may surpass theirs but a lot of their work ends up being sterile and/or self-conscious.

Not that I wouldn't mind being able to draw that well!

[Egnever]

6. Oddly that was what struck me as well

They are certainly well done but one has to wonder why the women weren't done as well. Just made the paintings feel strange to me.