Dennis Mukai

Dennis Mukai’s art depicts the rarefied world of high fashion and feminine beauty with an original sense of style. Models are rendered in bright, unconventional tones and flowing lines to maintain a delicate balance between reality and illusion. The beauty of these models is idealized without losing the individual characteristics that allow them the aspect of portraiture. Typically the number of colors used is limited, and the only facial details painted are the lips, eyes, eyebrows, and part of the nose. The remaining facial details are left to the imagination of the viewer. Mukai’s lyrical compositions transcend their connection to illustration to become contemporary icons, coolly restrained yet humanistic images. His reductive line, the inventive use of negative space, and compositional refinement imbue his subjects with seductive mystery.