Digital Portraits By Volker Hermes Reimagine Classic Paintings With Masks
The digital age has blessed one with the means to experiment with the gems and stars of classical times. Thus, it is not a surprise to find the old-age art pieces going through artistic makeover now and then. But some artists break the limits of thought to present their interpretation in their way. An artist named Volker Hermes has taken to the domain to weave his sphere and make his mark in the art world.
Churning the artistic vibes from his studio in Düsseldorf, he goes miles ahead to grab the heart-winning art pieces of the golden age. The historical art archives and paintings throw open the way for him to present his best in the domain. He selects his favorites and dive into their narrative. After getting done with the pondering task, he gets back to his sphere to shape his interpretation. He observes the background and time elements bubbling in the art pieces.
Not just that, he also gets into the fashion niche that ruled in the times of his subject. Finally, he pools his observations and vision together to work out his version of the art pieces. He put his fashion sense on work to find the perfect match for his subjects. Masks and various garment pieces with vibrant designs and features spring on the counter to present the best. Then, he surges ahead to cover the face of his subjects with them. He aims to shift the viewer’s attention to other essential bits in the portrait rather than their identity.
Thus, those coverings go a long way in highlighting the background, trends of the time, fashion bits, etc. For instance, in “Hidden Perronneau” (2020), one can find Perronneau supporting a mask with the floral charm. One can compare the digital reinterpretation with the original to catch the difference and intention of the artist. To one’s wonder, the flowers on the mask match the one that adorns his coat. This brings out the observation power of the artist.
Many other art pieces also throw light on the artistic flair of the artist. Shedding on the salience of time, he said, “Each era has its own symbols. I always like to mention the Chanel costume as a metaphor for today’s upper-class affiliation. There are of course more current, more specific ones, but this garment has something of a general visualization of an established elite.”
He has faced a lot of difficulties with the portraits featuring big remarkable hats. Taking on that, he shared, “Whoever had such a hat, had himself painted with it. But today we don’t know that anymore. We simply see men with black hats, which no longer trigger anything in us. We look the sitters in the face as our natural approach. If I now exaggerate such a hat in my interventions, blocking the access via the face, the focus changes, the viewer is forced, so to speak, to look at the painting under new aspects, taking into account the meanings that determined the painting at that time.”
He has presented his digital works in the form of a series named “Hidden Portraits”.
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