Exhibition showed extremely realistic sculptures of people
The following people are pretty special. In addition, they all have something in common. Look at the first three photos and maybe you'll figure out what makes them so unique.
In the first picture you see a grandmother holding her grandchild in her arms. It appears as if the baby hasn't been around long.
But what could she have in common with the actor Peter Cushing, famed for his appearances in the Hammer Horror movies and the first ever Star Wars film?
And these two, what are they doing? Wait, something's off... No one really looks like this, right?
The answer: no! Because these and the following figures aren't actually people — they're very lifelike sculptures.
Artist: Carole A.
The show "Hyper-realistic Sculptures" at the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts in Spain presented the extremely impressive work of artists from around the world. The exhibition took place from June 7 to September 26, 2016, before the sculptures moved on to be shown at a number of other museums all over the world.
Artist: Ron Mueck
At this special exhibition, visitors could admire examples from the artists' work that best represent this movement, from 1973 until today. The pioneers of hyper-realistic sculpture were American — George Segal, Duane Hanson, and John DeAndrea. Their work could also be seen in the show.
To make the sculptures as realistic as possible, these artists pay special attention to the details. Just like real people, the sculptures have wrinkles, dark circles under their eyes, and skin blemishes. It's not about a perfect appearance here, but rather about a perfect replica of reality.
Artist: Ron Mueck
The pieces are made with silicon because it's resilient but at the same time easily moldable. Silicon is really perfectly suited to this kind of precise work.
Artist: Jamie Salmon
Artist: Sam Jinks
Particularly for the hair, especially head and facial hair, artists invest time and painstaking effort. Every single hair is set with the utmost care and attention.
Artist: Jamie Salmon
Do you feel this way too? You don't just want to look at the sculptures, you want to touch them as well. It's impossible not to be curious whether they feel as real as they look. Though of course, that's not allowed.
Artist: Zarko Baseski
A visitor made a short video of one of the sculptures. It's of a man and woman hugging intimately, naked as jaybirds, in the exhibition space.
Artist: Marc Sijan
When you see this art, you can hardly believe they're not alive — they're really just sculptures. Looking at the incredibly precise and realistic work these artists do, your imagination will set off at a gallop.