Oleg Dou’s body of work is a fascinating exploration of the human form through a surrealist lens, captivating audiences worldwide with his unique approach to portraiture. Dou’s photographs are renowned for their ‘porcelain’ skins that transform human features into haunting, yet stunningly beautiful, art pieces. This artistic choice blurs the line between reality and fantasy, evoking an eerie yet mesmerizing presence. Inspired by European films that challenge conventional narratives, Dou strives to provoke introspection, masterfully intertwining tradition with modernity. His art doesn’t merely strive for aesthetic appeal; it aims to push the boundaries of conventional beauty, juxtaposing elements of allure with subtle eeriness. By doing so, he invites us into a space where the living and inanimate coalesce, challenging perceptions and inciting curiosity about the inherent dichotomy in his work.
Delving deeper, Dou’s ambition is to evoke a sense of intrigue and introspection in the observer. His images possess a haunting allure, reminiscent of walking through an art gallery where eyes from portraits seem to follow your every movement. This engagement is intentional, as Dou seeks to create an experience rather than just a visual composition. The smooth, flawless textures of his subjects’ skins contribute to this effect, presenting a canvas on which beauty and mystery entwine. His work transcends mere photography, offering a narrative that compels observers to question the very essence of beauty and existence. Dou’s ingenious manipulation of familiar elements into an otherworldly aesthetic earns him a unique spot in contemporary art, where he continues to expand our understanding of beauty by deliberately positioning it at the intersection of reality and surrealism.
I like having a tradition and seeing how it can work with modern material, how it can translate into new ideas. I want to concoct a situation that happens, for example, in European films: there doesn’t seem to be a specific message, but the situation plays with our head and makes us ask ourselves questions like ‘what is this’ and ‘what is this for? I find it extremely important to do what I do ‘beautifully’; not for beauty itself, per se, but more so as a tool that makes my ideas both interesting and workable. I am looking for something bordering between the beautiful and the repulsive, living and dead. I want to attain the feeling of presence one can get when walking by a plastic manikin…
Oleg Dou
More info: Website, Instagram.
