Mixed media? Collages? Paintings? Whatever you label Julia Hacker’s artwork, be sure to also call it one-of-a-kind and fabulous!
Julia, a native of Minsk, Belarus, has earned a Master’s degree in Fashion Design and has lived in Canada ever since the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown. Her artwork is modern and fresh—representative of the style and colors she incorporated into her work as a fashion designer at the renowned Fashion Centre in Minsk for nearly a decade.
Julia uses original vintage images, cutouts from modern fashion magazines and paint to create her signature art. She says, “I’ve always enjoyed the decorative aspects of collage, playing an optical illusion.”
Optical illusion, indeed! The varying perspectives in Travel Diary East are as wild as the leopard-spotted tree trunks and twice as dynamic.
To the left and right, lengthy tree trunks cage in the scene, yet a passionate splash of red floods in brightly and defiantly, adding a touch of the unexpected to the canvas. It bleeds onto the wooden pathway, drawing my eye toward a figure posed dramatically in traditional oriental dress.
Softly and sweetly, a villa hides amid hills ambushed with foliage, and similar architecture can be seen in the distance. Delicate twists of color (perhaps butterflies?) add hints of cheerfulness in an otherwise cloudy sky.
When in Doubts, below, is deliciously figurative, featuring a well-to-do woman shrouded in the regality of purple and gold—the perfect face of couture.
Her hat is a gateway into her mind, thoughts ticking forward at a rapid pace while she attempts to account for her life, a slave to prestige and power. Her dress, tight and fitting, blends in with the streets and buildings and glowing lamps around her.
Thick bangles on her wrists act as manacles, bonding her to the people from the kingdom she must represent, yet she stands tall and dignified, even while pensive, determined to find answers to her question as time ticks on.
Lastly, Live the Life shows all the spectacular ways life might be perfect—with more dancing, free time, materialistic items, perfect relationships, great careers, and engaging hobbies. I could look at this piece all day long and find different, yet equally important themes to Julia’s artwork.
Clouds float absentmindedly here and there throughout the piece, tying in the idea that when one thinks about all their life could be, his or head is very much “in the clouds!” The intense heat of red and gold hues complement the cool blue and green tones, creating dynamic depth and visual interest through color as well as subject matter.
There are many more incredible mixed media paintings on Julia’s website, and I urge you to take a moment and explore the rest of her lovely work. You’ll be glad you did!