Hyper-Realistic Paintings By Figurative Artist Reisha Perlmutter

“Painting has always been my muse”

New York-based artist Reisha Perlmutter’s exquisite aquatic hyper-realistic series titled “Aqua. Her hyperrealistic portraits capture every wisp of hair, every crease on the model’s face, manifested in rich tones of oil colors on the expanse of the canvas. The paintings, though unique in their own ways, have one thing in common; it portrays beautiful ladies submerged in water, resonating Perlmutter’s cherished childhood memories of light, water, and the sensation of being immersed in it.

“My work is about how we relate to our bodies and the natural world in which they exist.

Organic imagery and abstract memories from my childhood, growing up with the ocean, deeply color my work.

In my most recent series, I have focused on women and water. Water and light move through these images, blurring the separation between body and nature. This ambiguity allows for a deep connection to our senses, and an awareness of our bodies beyond superficiality.

I am profoundly drawn to the organic nature of oil paint; the way it bleeds, glows, moves, and exists. It’s an incredible medium to describe such instinctive imagery. I am equally drawn to its imperfections, and its simultaneous ability to exist as both a painted gesture or mark, as well as a palpable experience or memory.

I specifically have chosen to work with feminine imagery in order to speak directly to the relationship women have with our bodies, and how we choose to define ideals of femininity.

Water holds us entirely in peace and allows us to return to an intimacy with our bodies.

By avoiding the inclusion of cultural signifiers and clothing, the primal relationship between body and nature surfaces. Understanding our bodies and our femininity becomes a story of our own; an intimate quest to connect with ourselves.”

Reisha Perlmutter -reishaperlmutter.com