The commanding masterpiece, hailing from the highly curated IWMYAS series, represents a museum-grade hybrid that masterfully bridges high-fashion iconography with raw gestural abstraction. This monumental abstract expressionist painting deploys an archival Giclée print on premium metallic paper of the iconic Spanish actress, treating the fashion portrait as a raw canvas for a visceral physical intervention deeply rooted in Jean-Michel Basquiat’s legacy. Cristian Hunter aggressively overlays the countenance with a thick, tribal mask of textured black acrylic, industrial wax, and bright gold oil pastel strokes that fracture the commercial slickness of the media star. The striking visual friction between the celebrity's piercing exposed gaze and the expressive force of the neo-expressionist visual markings creates a powerful conversational energy.
Hunter & Gatti wanted to pay tribute to the neo-expressionist Jane-Michel Basquiat's legacy by merging the celebrity portraits they had made in the past for fashion editorials and campaigns, featuring the most iconoclastic members of today's fashion scene, with Basquiat's paintings that transcend the limits of the art world and form part of our collective unconsciousness - just like the famous faces of their photos. Their idea was to create a series of original hybrids that explore the limits of popular culture, reflecting, at the same time, fashion’s ongoing interest in the art world.
This contemporary piece showcases a photograph intervened by the artists, imbuing it with unique textures and evocative layers that invite viewers to explore new perspectives.
Purchase this unique investment-grade abstract expressionist painting by Cristian Hunter, online directly through the The Art Design Project platform.
