Acrylic Painting

Emma Hack

Emma Hack is an internationally acclaimed Australian artist known for her captivating fusion of body painting, photography, and design.rn

Artist Profile

Emma Hack is an internationally acclaimed Australian artist known for her captivating fusion of body painting, photography, and design.

Drawing inspiration from nature, textiles, and her deep connection to the environment, Emma creates intricate works that seamlessly blend the human form with richly patterned backgrounds or within built environments. Her art explores themes of unity, identity, and the relationship between humanity and nature.

Emma gained global recognition for her iconic body art featured in Gotye’s music video Somebody That I Used to Know. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, and she continues to inspire with her innovative approach to merging art, form, and storytelling.

Emma’s work is held in numerous private and corporate collections globally and is highly sought after for her commission and commercial collaborations.

Artist Interview

What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

My medium of choice, body painting combined with photography, painted canvas, set builds and flora/fauna, allows me to blur the boundaries between subject and environment. By meticulously blending painted bodies into hand-crafted or digitally designed backgrounds, I challenge perceptions of separation and unity, asking viewers to pause, look closer, and rediscover what might otherwise remain a hidden illusion.

How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

I start by forming the concept in my mind, relying on intuition, inspired by my emotions and the natural world around me. The colour palette I choose is based on how I’m feeling, often drawing from nature and my surroundings, with seasonal changes influencing the mood of my work. I then paint my background canvas or decide on an archived work of Florence Broadhurst as my background. Sometimes I choose to work with live flora. I bring my concept to life by painting my model, transforming them into a living canvases that embodies my vision. Once painted, I photograph the model, capturing the calm energy of my muse either holding birds and butterflies. I print and frame the artworks in white box frames, some float-mounted to suit the artwork I've created.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

Collaboration is central to my process. From working with models to design intricate compositions to sourcing inspiration from cultural and historical motifs, my work is a dialogue—a celebration of the interconnectedness of humanity, art, and the natural world.