‘Bizarre’ but ‘beautiful’: Hyperrealistic works coming to ArtScience Museum

Human-animal hybrid sculptures by Patricia Piccinini. Photo: Patricia Piccinini and Institute for Cultural Exchange
Human-animal hybrid sculptures by Patricia Piccinini. Photo: Patricia Piccinini and Institute for Cultural Exchange

Strange and realistic human-animal hybrids are making their way to Singapore for exhibition.

No actual mutants were harmed by Australian artist Patricia Piccinini, whose hyper-realistic sculptures might scare some off when some go on display in August.

“Much of my work is focused on imagining a sort of artificial nature. […] I’m interested in how we might use the possibilities of our particular hybrid world to create a future that will be better for all of us – including other species rather than at their expense,” Piccinini said in an announcement.

The artist’s first solo show in Southeast Asia, Patricia Piccinini: We Are Connected, runs Aug. 5 to Jan. 29 at the ArtScience Museum.

It will feature more than 40 works from the early 2000s in six sections through sculptures, installations, videos, and collages.

Described as “beautifully bizarre hybrid creatures,” Piccinini’s vivid showcase imagines a world where crossbreeds of animals and humans exist. She uses silicone, fiberglass, resin, and unorthodox components like human hair to put together the uncanny creatures. 

The popular contemporary artist also spent the last three decades exploring the evolution of relationships between humans and nature and biotechnology advances. 

While the creatures might be uncomfortable to see at first glance, she hopes viewers can relate to their vulnerability and find the beauty in the unfamiliar.

Piccinini has exhibited in Australia, Japan, Brazil, the states, Korea, Taiwan, and many more countries.

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