Silas Onoja's Hyperrealism

Nigerian artists recently put the hyperrealistic painting trend on the map, and contemporary artist, Silas Onoja, is among the best of them. The painter creates works that on first glance, look like photos. The details are just so realistic.

A lot of his paintings so far have had the theme of breaking free. His subjects are close up, covered in realistic plastic, but breaking free of this and all it represents. Onoja shares that the plastic means burdens and fears, essentially ‘mental bondages’ that restrict us from reaching and achieving. His works also usually feature realistic drops of water, which he says symbolises that first breath of fresh air - that scent of freedom after the bondages have been broken.

What human won’t get pulled in which such an interpretation! See his works below and let us know what you think in the comments.

See more of Silas Onoja’s works here.