Joel Rea was born in 1983 and graduated from Queensland College of Art with a Bachelor of Fine Art in 2003.
Identifying as a contemporary surrealist painter, Rea creates imagined scenarios that represent and deal with the issues of the present. All constructed in his recognisable hyperrealistic style, Rea’s work is a meld of political, social and environmental commentary.
“My working life as an artist consists of meticulously moving paint whilst absorbing numerous sources of audio information via the internet. My hunger for knowledge grows at an accelerated rate but ultimately I am within a universe of constant distraction, a mental state of constant fantasy, memory and imagination constraint by my animal body.
I attempt now in my new work to open doors to these many windows of sublime curiosity, to commentate… We’ve travelled millions of years to get here, a race with amnesia pelting forward and fooled by a blue-sky vale. Our personal needs made paramount over investigating the human consciousness, the most miraculous creator ever present.”
Rea is represented by Mitchell Fine Art and you can see much more of his work at the links below. I’ve included a gallery of my personal favourites along with some videos that explore his process and approach to oil painting. Enjoy!
