Swedish artist Yrjö Edelmann’s packages are gift-wrapped in a way that feels hasty, haphazard: the gift giver purchased some gorgeous wrapping paper, but in the Christmas rush they forgot to grab a ribbon and some Scotch tape.
The luxurious, brightly-hued wrapping paper contrasts with the rough twine and brown tape used to unevenly package the gifts, adding a sense of mystery to the images. The fact that most of the presents are shown bottom-up, with their tape in full view, makes you feel as if they’re just about to be torn open on some Christmas morning.
Edelmann’s contrasting textures are made even more intriguing when you realize that these are paintings, not photographs. His careful shading and head-on composition make it easy for these strangely-wrapped gifts to feel completely real. Edelmann cited “French surrealism, the fine line between dreams and reality, and hyperrealism” as his inspiration.
Keep scrolling to see Yrjö Edelmann’s hyperrealistic presents below, and find more of his work here.
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