Volker Hermes and his “Hidden Portraits” stand out and differ from the Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical Periods. Find out more about it!
Hidden Portraits
The “Hidden Portraits”, have inspiration from the famous Old Masters paintings. They are a “series of digitally-created photo collages that highlight the symbols of self-representation and social status.”.
Volker Hermes did an amazing job doing these paintings, in order to bring themes such as identity, gender. But also, social status. “As surreal as his masked portraits are, they look as if they were painted by the original artist, which is all the more impressive considering he’s a self-taught Photoshop user.”
We can also understand that this project makes a curious reference to the pandemic, because of the face masks. The masks are part of our daily life and they acquired an importance that is both cultural and political. For that reason, Hermes Portraits are timeless.
According to Volker Hermes, he started this “Hidden Portraits” project a few years after graduating from the art academy. He says, “I began to think about my role as an artist in society, the connection between art and representation [in society], and what impact this has on artworks.”
When asked about how he chooses the paintings, Hermes answers “The paintings find me. Most often, I browse through archives and collections and pick up works that talk to me. It depends on my mood; sometimes the Renaissance touches me, sometimes it’s Baroque or the 19th century.”
Art in “Hidden Portraits”
He is interested in fashion, but what fascinates him is the clothing codes and what they can tell. They are an important part of our lives and our communication.
According to the artist, he has “a particular sense of humor. But in addition, ironic exaggerations can unsettle particular positions without being didactic.”
At this moment, Volker Hermes is working and according to him, “I have a daily appointment with wonderful portraits to work with. That’s always the most important thing, to continue working. With that being said, I do have some exciting exhibitions planned.”
Credits to: Yatzer
