Gerard Boersma paints people doing things they rarely think about—like walking on the street, standing at the deli counter, or getting cash from an ATM.
Given his subject matter, and his hyperrealistic style, at first glance, you might think his paintings are photographs. . . but if you take a longer look, you’ll start to notice they actually have fewer distractions than a photo would have. They’re more pure. Less cluttered. Because every single element has been chosen and painted into the composition, deliberately, by the artist.
Even more interesting, quite a few of Gerard’s paintings are scenes taken from museums. His backgrounds are famous paintings, while in front of them, everyday life goes on as normal.
Hello (Boy fiddling with phone in front of painting by Roy Lichtenstein) is just one of the many examples you’ll see in Gerard’s portfolio.
The juxtoposition of events is fantastic, as is the recreation of Lichtenstein’s painting and the hyperrealistic detail seen throughout the composition.
Of course, not all of Gerard’s paintings are set inside a museum. The harsh light of streetlamps and intense glow of neon signs create another kind of tableau that is, perhaps, even more riveting.
Just take a look at The Smoker (self portrait) below. It has all high contrast and drama of a Renaissance painting. . . but it’s set in modern times:
You can almost hear those neon tubes buzzing in the window, and feel a hint of cold air nipping at your face as you walk past the artist lighting a cigarette in the pool of light outside the convenience store.
Last but not least, in Va Bene the artist approaches his difficult subject matter with intense, studied care. Bright lights gleam on glass and chrome, playing across a busy composition—but nothing is haphazard; nothing is painted by chance.
I love the red color scheme, and intense light and dark contrast of this painting. The different surfaces are all rendered exceptionally well, whether marble, glass, tile, metal, fabric, or denim.
And despite the busy nature of the composition, there’s still space and room aplenty for your eye to wander around the scene, taking in every single, fascinating, detail.
If you’d like to see more of Gerard Boersma’s work, I definitely encourage you to visit his website today and browse the rest of his amazing, hyperealistic paintings!
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