Carole Feuerman's hyperrealist sculptures of women in bathing suits dive into London

Together with Hanson and De Andrea, she was one of the three significant artists that started the hyperrealism movement in the late seventies by making life-like sculptures that portrayed their models precisely. They are meticulously detailed to create the illusion of a new reality. Dubbed "the reigning doyenne of superrealism" by art historian John T. Spike, Feuerman has solidified her place in art history.

Through her sculptures, she creates visual manifestations of the stories she wants to tell; of strength, survival and balance. Feuerman has produced a rich body of work both in the studio and the public realm. By combining conventional sculptural materials of steel, bronze, and resin, with more unconventional media like water, sound, and video, she creates hybrid works of intricate energy and psychology.

She is renowned for her collection of monumental sculptures of female swimmers titled Strength, Survival & Balance, which reflect her fascination with the feminine form and recurring themes of water and swimming. Accentuating the appearance of water drops on skin, Feuerman’s contemplative bathers embody the artist’s intimate take on the hyperrealist style: "My work inspires the viewer to look closely at what stands before them," she explains. "I want the viewer to complete the story to reflect and feel touched. I ask for the interaction between myself, as the storyteller and the viewer. My story is always personal, centred on the human body."

Carole Feuerman runs from 24 May to 4 June 2018 at the Bel Air Fine Art gallery on New Bond Street. Find out more: carolefeuerman.com.