August 21, 2015 | Posted in:Vellum News

 

Jessica Hess takes street art to another level. With a beautifully poetic style she re-paints graffiti sites, capturing not only the powerful words, but the unique gritty atmosphere where most street art thrives. Her focus is on abandoned buildings, junkyard fences, underneath bridges and water towers. Her uncanny ability to paint in a photorealistic style adds more soul to what you see. There is an organic quality in her technique which depicts not only the subject matter, but the light and air of a place. At first you’ll think they’re photographs and soon enough, the image will slowly reveal itself and come into focus. Eventually the painter’s marks and sheer canvas will come into view, allowing another perspective to enter. The artist has a thing for documenting graffiti which in itself is noble. One painting called “Pittsfield Summer Redux” shows the tags beneath a bridge. The water is green and swampy but in the middle is a reflection of the tag above which begins to look like an entrance to a secret water world in the Legend of Zelda. It’s this play on fantasy and reality which informs Hess’ work in its strongest moments.