Sea Idylls

By Tiara Brownie

American artist Carole A. Feuerman brings the beach to Park Avenue in her latest exhibit, “Sea Idylls.” The outdoor series consists of nine of her incredibly lifelike sculptures of swimmers along Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Murray Hill area, between 34th and 38th Street. The playful sculpture series features swimmers in various poses, such as reclining on beach balls and inner tubes and posing in a dive stance.

Feuerman gave careful consideration to both the sculptures’ positions and their attire. The bathing suits on the hyper-realistic sculptures have a high fashion feel to them. Everything about them shouts “summer fun,” from the rhinestones on the swimmer’s cap to the beach balls and shiny lively hues of their bathing suits. It’s as if they were set to walk the runway at Miami Swim Week.

What or who served as the artist’s primary source of inspiration? According to an interview with the National Portrait Gallery, Feuerman is motivated by two things when creating her art: achieving grace and balance. She also mentions how people and great artists inspires her. However, she’s the only female artist working today who creates outdoor hyper-realistic sculptures.

This isn’t the first time Feuerman’s artwork has made a splash in NYC. In 2019, The hyperrealist work “Lida & The Swan” by Feuerman was unveiled at the Conrad New York Midtown. This modern sculpture, which was inspired by the Greek myth of the same name, brings back the tale by incorporating contemporary themes of feminism and strength. One of Feuerman’s sculptures was that of a representation of a woman reclining on top of a bright white inflatable swan while wearing an elaborate swimsuit and a swim cap covered with crystals. The realistic sculpture gives the impression of zen and tranquility.

The New York City-based art gallery Chase Contemporary debuted Carole Feuerman’s first solo exhibition and book signing in 2019. Similar to her most recent hyper-realistic art on display in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood, the sculptures that were on display were bronzed statues of swimmers.

The captivating series of the hyper-realistic sculpture’s genre isn’t a new form of art here in the United States. This form of artistic expression has been around for quite some time now. As reported by Artfile Magazine, the term “hyperrealism” was coined by French art dealer Isy Brachot in 1973 for the title of an exhibition in Brussels, and the movement’s origins can be traced back to the 1970s in the United States and Europe. The aesthetic concepts of hyperrealism was influenced by the photorealist paintings of the late 20th century. Hyperrealism borrows from photorealism. As defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, photorealism means the quality in art (such as animation or painting) of depicting or seeming to depict real people, objects, etc. with the exactness of a photograph.

Tyler Moore, a sophomore at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, believes that Feuerman’s swimmer  collection adds a perfect touch of summer in New York City. “It’s not a lot of artists who creates hyperrealism sculptures and showcase them outside public spaces,” said Moore. “You mostly have to pay to see artwork like this at museum exhibits. I think it’s pretty cool that people get to enjoy it and see it for free.

Carole A. Feuerman Sea monumental exhibition is on display along Park Avenue in Manhattan’s Murray Hill area, between 34th and 38th Street from April 10 to December 10.