Atomic Disintegrator by Greg Hildebrandt

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Greg Hildebrandt

Atomic Disintegrator

2021

63.5 x 116.84 cm | 25 x 46 in

Acrylic on canvas

  • Rehs Contemporary Galleries, Inc. Award

The Atomic Disintegrator is the first painting in the Greg Hildebrandt Kid Stuff series to feature one of Greg's toy Ray Guns and sees his personal reflection series transitioning from introspection to exposition. Growing up in the 1940s, Greg was all too aware of the imminent threat of nuclear winter. In this piece, the viewer must explore the tragic irony of mankind bringing about its own demise with atomic energy through the lens of the visuals of quirky sci-fi camp.

Greg Hildebrandt (American, b. 1939)
Atomic Disintegrator, May 2021
Acrylic on Canvas

46 X 25 inches (116.84 X 63.5cm)
Framed 48.5 x 27

Some of his most intriguing and thought-provoking works to date, Kid Stuff is the latest collection of still-life paintings by Greg Hildebrandt. In this series, Hildebrandt explores the passage of time and the deterioration that naturally comes with age by cracking the seal on his toy chest and exposing the viewer to its inhabitants. By painting his childhood toys as they appear now, weathered and torn, Greg Hildebrandt masterfully evokes simultaneous feelings of nostalgia and unease; Bringing a smile to the face, all the while knowing that something is not quite right. In these larger-than-life depictions, the artist carefully renders every detail, paying particular attention to the way the light scatters across the surface, highlighting every crack, wrinkle, fold, and blemish.
Using a spotlighting technique, Greg Hildebrandt paints a stark contrast between the subject and the darkened abyss in which it sits, establishing compositions that confront the viewer and demand attention. Despite the darkened persona with which these puppets first appear, the viewer can surmise the love and affection Hildebrandt has for the toys themselves through the subtle brushwork. By rendering these toys with such exquisite detail, Hildebrandt has elevated the subjects above their earthly status. Capturing their portraits is the highest honor he can bestow.
With this in mind, it is clear that naming the series Kid Stuff is a tongue-in-cheek swipe at the establishment that has so often looked down on things Hildebrandt is passionate about, refusing to acknowledge the artistry and dismissing it as Kid Stuff.