Another Expression (2002) by Kang, Hyung KooKorean Art Museum Association
1. Hyung Koo Kang
Hyung Koo Kang is a Korean artist who specializes in photorealistic portraits, often depicting iconic celebrities like Marilyn Monroe or Albert Einstein.
This painting, titled Another Expression, is more anonymous, the sitter turned away. No matter the subject, Hyung Koo Kang's large-format oil paintings are astonishingly intricate and accurate, conveying the complexities of human expression.
Sold Conscience (2019) by Kalejaye O. Tosinthe United Nations
2. Kalejaye O. Tosin
Kalejaye O. Tosin is a Nigerian artist whose portraits are as incredibly detailed as they are powerful. Many of his portraits make passionate political statements.
This work, called Sold Conscience, is charcoal on paper and portrays a young woman muzzled by a rope of money, unable to speak. The visual metaphor is bolstered by the subject's look of desperation, masterfully conveying the emotions to the viewer.
Painting: "Pioneers of the telephone: Philipp Reis" (1990) by Gottfried Helnwein (*1948)Museum for Communication Frankfurt, Museum Foundation Post and Telecommunication
3. Gottfried Helnwein
This portrait of Philipp Reis, painted in oil and acrylic on canvas, was created by Austrian-Irish visual artist Gottfried Helnwein.
Based on historical photos of the German inventor, it was commissioned by the German Postal Museum in 1990. Helnwein is a prolific multi-disciplinary artist, whose work ranges from tributes like this to Holocaust remembrance pieces.
Copertina_01 (2016 - 2016) by Elisa AnfusoFrattura Scomposta contemporary art
4. Elisa Anfuso
Elisa Anfuso is an Italian painter who blurs the lines between photorealism and surrealism.
The vibrant highlights and shadows give an ultra-realistic air to the subjects of her oil paintings, and after a second glance, the rich symbolism and fantasy become apparent.
Estasi e vacuità (2014 - 2014) by Elisa AnfusoFrattura Scomposta contemporary art
Also painted by Anfuso, Estasi e Vacuità translates to 'Ecstasy and Emptiness' in English. The seemingly-innocent imagery takes the viewer on a dark journey.
Andrew Young (2009) by Ross R. RossinSmithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
5. Ross Rossin
Bulgarian-American artist Ross Rossin painted this portrait of civil rights leader Andrew Young, on display at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
Rossin's massive, meticulous portraits depict legendary figures both contemporary and historical, including Abraham Lincoln and Maya Angelou.
Want to see more contemporary portraits? Discover 5 Black Portrait Artists You Should Know
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