By manipulating our perception of illustration and showcasing an unnatural interpretation of characters who are very much in the public eye, the Philadelphian Christina Hess manages to blend the boundaries between animal portraiture and fictional painting. These accurately surreal, yes a contradiction in itself, paintings enhance colour, brush stroke, definition and do so in a- not mocking but humoured manner. As beautiful as the paintings are, it is evident that they are manipulated to form an unusual visual. We aren’t used to seeing a pirate portrait with the face of not a pirate, but a dog.
Although slightly shocking, these characterised images showcase the blending of artistic genres; we unwillingly and automatically accept the art before us as creative and modernised, in essence. The collection Chasseur are discussing, is of course, the ‘animals from history’ one- her finest work to date in our opinion. Whilst encapsulating the recent public obsession with animals (we have been witnessing the use of animals to adorn clothing and everyday objects) Christina manages to accept the public demand and twist it in her own individual way. Undoubtedly leaving her stamp upon the art industry.