Do you ever look at a painting and wonder, am I crazy or is this actually a photograph?! That was my reaction when I was first introduced to Sergey Piskunov’s body of work. His hyperreal paintings show what can be captured on canvas if the hand and the eye work together in perfect harmony.
He captures the souls of his subjects in such a way where you can see their eyes sparkle in the light as tiny veins kiss the corners of their sclera. You want to reach out and touch their soft glowing skin, speckled with freckles and the tiniest of imperfections. Like that of a photograph, his subjects are captured in a brief moment in time, but captured with far more love and emotional depth than one can obtain through the lens of a camera.
Sergey Piskunov is a Ukrainian artist who specialises in genre-defying hyperrealism. Whilst his education and background are focused in the sciences having previously worked as a computer systems engineer, Sergey is a man of many talents and is now known in the contemporary art scene for his internationally exhibited artworks.
Using oil paints, Sergey transforms traditional realism into bursts of emotion that look beyond what can be seen with the naked eye as he explores intersectional themes of time, space, memory, culture, and history all whilst keeping his work deeply intimate. His body of work spans many genres but his most popular works includes ‘Masks’, a contemporary portraiture series that depicts his deep respect and admiration for the glory, strength and fragility of the feminine form as well as his ‘Mice’ series which is a playful yet elegant ode to pop culture.
For me, painting is a necessity. I simply can’t not paint.
Interview with Sergey Piskunov
What draws you to hyperrealism as a genre?
Hyperrealism has always fascinated me because of the challenge it presents. It’s a genre that constantly pushes the limits of my skills and patience. Every detail matters, and there’s little room for compromise. I enjoy the complexity and precision required it becomes almost meditative at times. But more than that, hyperrealism allows me to bring an idea or a feeling to life with such intensity that it feels tangible.
Who are some of your biggest inspirations and why?
I don’t really work based on inspiration in the classical sense. It’s not that I see something and then feel the urge to create. For me, painting is a necessity. I simply can’t not paint. It’s more of a quiet internal pressure the feeling that I have to create something meaningful, something real. That feeling keeps me going more than any specific influence.
Women play a big role within your work as you strive to depict your admiration for women as you document their glory, strength and fragility. I’d love to hear more about the importance of women within your work and the aspects of femininity you find to be most inspiring?
My work often focuses on female figures because I find a powerful contrast in the combination of strength and vulnerability, confidence and fragility. I’m drawn to exploring this duality and presenting it with dignity and beauty. I want to celebrate the complexity of women without reducing them to a symbol or stereotype.
Your ‘Mice’ series is one of the first things that really stood out to me within your body of work. You’ve taken the iconic Mickey Mouse silhouette and shaped it into what feels like a critique to pop culture and capitalism. Can you tell me more about this series?
The ‘Mice’ series actually started without a deep concept behind it. I was simply curious what would happen if I placed something playful and lighthearted (like cartoonish mice) into a highly detailed and elegant composition. But over time, the project naturally took on additional meaning. These characters started to reflect a surreal mix of innocence, pop culture, and quiet melancholy. I’m not trying to make a direct critique, but I do like that the viewer can read deeper ideas into them if they choose to.
Your ‘Mask’ series uses a combination of masks ranging from the more traditional clay facial masks to cracked gold flecked masks, I’d love to learn more about the message of this series and what these masks represent. Is it a critique on beauty standards?
Each painting in the Mask series is a personal challenge for me in terms of composition, lighting and technique. I always want each new work to push my limits. When I start, I shouldn’t fully understand how exactly I’m going to complete it. That sense of uncertainty is what drives me. I spend 400 to 600 hours on a single painting, carefully developing every millimeter of the surface so that the work functions as a whole from both close up and a distance.
The masks themselves reflect different states of emotion, identity or transformation. I wouldn’t call them a direct critique of beauty standards, but rather an exploration of how we present ourselves to the world and what remains hidden beneath the surface.
What are some of the challenges you face when working in hyperrealism and how do you overcome these challenges?
Each painting is a challenge in itself. I often choose complex compositions with difficult lighting, reflections, intricate details or textures that are hard to replicate. But that’s exactly what makes the process exciting for me. It’s important that I don’t fully understand how I’ll solve certain visual problems when I begin. If I know exactly how to paint it, the process becomes too mechanical. The challenge is what keeps me engaged and motivated to grow. I try to choose subjects that push me forward technically and conceptually.
Alongside your paintings, you also have created your ‘Mouse’ sculptures, how do you find working in ceramics? And is sculpting something you hope to pursue further in the future?
During the first months of the war in Ukraine, I didn’t have access to my usual studio space. I started experimenting with smaller forms. It was a way to stay connected to creativity during chaos. That small sculpture series is important to me personally, even if I don’t consider it central to my practice. Right now I’m fully focused on my “masks” paintings.
What do you hope people can take away with them after viewing your work?
Ideally, I hope they feel what I felt while creating it. My works are meant to be experienced in person — there’s a depth that builds the longer you look. I design each painting to work on multiple levels, from two meters away to just centimeters. I spend weeks perfecting every detail so that it functions as a whole both microscopically and compositionally.
What’s next for you? Any exciting upcoming projects or exhibitions you can share with our readers?
Yes, I’m planning a personal exhibition in the Netherlands, my first after 13 years. Until now, I simply didn’t have enough time to build a large body of work, since each painting takes around three months. But I’ve made the decision to prepare a complete show. I want people to see these works in person, because nothing compares to experiencing them up close.
