A long time ago I came across camouflage artist Emma Hack whose work I found innovative and impressive (see my post ‘Discovered and Recovered). Another post featured camouflage artist Lui Bolin. This artist played with the idea of invisibility to make political statements here . Alexa Meade is different type of artist though – one whose art that I have yet to come across. She likes to paint people to look like paintings – the results, I think are pretty impressive!
Sometimes the ‘painting’ will sit in front of a painting. It’s hard to see where the person starts and the painting ends. The model becomes a living trompe l’oeil (realistic imagery to create an optic illusion).
The work is multi layered, a mixture of painting, video performance and installation and the results spectacular. I especially like the ones in the gallery setting. The model is given a new ‘skin’ to wear which she or he can inhabit for a few hours – here today and gone tomorrow. This plays with our sense of permanence and impermanence and also, I suppose it leads us to question our own mortality and our place on life’s canvas – when we are ourselves the canvas on which life is written on. 
There are a lot of questions to be asked and addressed – which I think makes for very interesting art which is both visually stunning and mentally challenging.
Echostains Blog 
Thanks for the mention 🙂
http://powerofh.wordpress.com/2010/08/22/alexa-meade/
All sorts of performing going here–the painter, the painted, the painting–and whatever the painted person ‘does’ after being painted. What a concept!
I quite like her painting style too a bit Auerbach -ish:)
Yes, there is much happening here. My initial reaction was not a positive one, but that can be a good sign. If I find myself thinking about this over the next few days…then there was more here than met the eye. My first thoughts were about life imitating art which I don’t think is always healthy. Interesting post!
It’s great to have artists that are interesting and work that provokes response. Usually when I go to an exhibition the works that immediately grabs me aren’t always the one which stay with me. I like work you have to think about, that is why I think the concept behind the art is as important. I like to know where art comes from so I can follow the journey and the train of thought. Glad you enjoyed this post Al 🙂
this is a great concept.
Who’d have thought someone would think of this. lol
I know! Just when you think you’ve seen it all…art is and will always be amazing:)
My mind went ten different directions when I saw this. One of them was wondering if this kind of painting could also give some feedback to an artist who paints on a two dimensional surface. I imagine it would help one to understand cross contours better and with the addition of a light source help the artist to discover value differences. Interesting artist and interesting post, Lynda. Thank-you for introducing her to us.
VERY good points and observations Leslie about the cross conturs and the light! I just love the way the way the model is transformed into a flat surface – a trompe l’oeil effect that I still can’t get my head round (literally) Glad you enoyed it – think this artist is very talented indeed:)
Wow! officially blown away by this one.
Great! thanks Adam – hoping to find more of these unusual artists:)