Not your average wallflowers: Artist's mesmerizing paintings camouflage nude models against graphic backgrounds
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A quick glance at Emma Hack's artwork and you'd think you were looking at wallpaper. But upon closer inspection, the outline of a painted human body can be seen in the forefront.
The Australian artist, who did the artwork for Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know music video, has made a name for herself turning nude live models into colorful masterpieces, creating optical illusion photographs in a painstaking process that can take up to 19 hours.
In one mesmerizing piece called Alhambra - Granada, which was inspired by a fortress in Spain, a woman's camouflaged body is barely discernible against the colorful mosaic-like pattern.
Optical illusion: A quick glimpse at Emma Hack's artwork and you'd think you were looking at wallpaper. But upon closer inspection, the outline of a human body painted in camouflage can be seen
Body of work: The Australian artist, who did the artwork for Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know music video, has made a name for herself turning nude live models into colorful masterpieces
More than a wallflower: She creates optical illusions in a painstaking process that can take up to 19 hours
Even the model's hair is painted to blend in with her background, and the contours of her figure are only just visible, bearing the same straight lines and diamonds as the canvas behind her.
In another work called Wallpaper Black Cockatoos, a model transforms into a monochrome floral design, her hardly discernible arm outstretched and painted to look like it is holding a black bird.
And in Building Facade Porto, a model is disguised as a colorful tiled surface, with patches of grey painted onto her body mimicking the effect of crumbling ceramic.
Ms Hack currently has an exhibition of her work, called Undercover, on show at New York's Rebecca Hosack Gallery, which is open until March 12.
Blending in: Ms Hack currently has an exhibition of her work, called Undercover, on show at New York's Rebecca Hosack Gallery, which is open until March 12
Cultural influence: A blue and white painting called China consists of a design one might see on a porcelain China plate, featuring dragons criss-crossing over the live model's body
Animal instinct: Evolution Crocodile sees a woman standing against a beige and brown wall painted to look like reptile skin. She clutches a matching baby crocodile in her arms
At the exhibition, the artist showcased a live painted model in a performance piece last Wednesday, demonstrating her unique methods.
One of the issues with such a precise and time-consuming technique, says Ms Hack, is making sure her live models are comfortable during the process.
'My biggest challenge, and it always is, is making somebody comfortable when it is such a painful process for them,' she told Beauty Launch Pad.
In some of her paintings, it's not just the live model who is camouflaged into the background.
Mosaic model: In one mesmerizing piece called Alhambra - Granada, which was inspired by a fortress in Spain, a woman's body is barely discernible amid the colorful mosaic-like pattern
Mirror image: The optical illusion becomes even more disorienting when two live models are painted to look like their lower bodies are made of peacock feathers
Unique talent: Ms Hack was first inspired to create these works when she painted children's faces as a teenager and studied make-up artistry after
Evolution Crocodile sees a woman standing against a beige and brown wall painted to look like reptile skin. She clutches a matching baby crocodile in her arms.
Many of Ms Hack's body paint works are inspired by different cultures.
A blue and white painting called China, for instance, consists of a design one might see on a porcelain China plate, featuring dragons criss-crossing over the live model's body.
And in Fans, the nude woman's body is camouflaged in Chinese-style paper fans, painted in elaborate red, turquoise and black designs.
Pretty details: In Fans, a nude woman's body is camouflaged in Chinese-style paper fans, painted in elaborate red, turquoise and black designs
True calling: While the Gotye music video - which has had more than 200million views - has no doubt helped launch her into the spotlight, Ms Hack says she mostly wants to stick to fine arts
![Living canvases: '[The video] differs greatly from the art I create, which is what I want to do, creating in a calm environment with my regular models,' she explained](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vu7azrOCsxgv24NrE33aFQa9vH-Y0gPvGJ_y-KshwM9q686oH-w7-LaOa3tyADrrnQw5daHRN7EqHOBSyHlbP9-bzxmF2mFhyEagTi1O2mVD2C1LWfRDk8vL78y4890aLFiUvFotw1KCx4Cqe8Jm35dKowDcdb4rPGAng=s0-d)
Living canvases: '[The video] differs greatly from the art I create, which is what I want to do, creating in a calm environment with my regular models,' she explained
Ms Hack was first inspired to create these unique works when she painted children's faces as a teenager and studied make-up artistry after.
'My teacher, Bill Peacock, noticed my gift and suggested I carry the face art down the body,' she said.
While the Gotye music video - which has had more than 200million views - has no doubt helped launch her into the spotlight, Ms Hack says she mostly wants to stick to fine arts.
Artistic process: Painting Gotye singer Wally De Backer (left) and Kimbra (right) for the video took 23 hours
'[The video] differs greatly from the art I create, which is what I want to do, creating in a calm environment with my regular models,' she told Artinfo Australia.
'The Gotye project is similar to a commercial gig, where I'm working for the good of the client and their needs - but it is a lot more demanding emotionally on me.'
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