Usztyk’s Collectible series presents a striking macro-scale examination of coins, banknotes, and postage stamps. By dramatically enlarging these everyday objects, the artist transforms familiar artifacts into monumental images, inviting viewers to observe intricate details that often go unnoticed. The series explores themes of nostalgia, value, memory, and the human impulse to collect, preserve, and revere material objects. Through this shift in scale and perspective, ordinary collectibles become powerful cultural symbols, encouraging a reconsideration of their historical and emotional significance.In The Uncanny Valley, Usztyk investigates the uneasy boundary between reality and imitation through a series of photographs depicting wax figures from Madame Tussauds museums in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C. The title references roboticist Masahiro Mori’s theory that human replicas appearing almost—but not entirely—lifelike can provoke feelings of discomfort and unease. Featuring portraits of globally recognized celebrities and historical figures, the series examines society’s fascination with fame and the desire for proximity to celebrity culture. Through the photographic process, the wax figures appear more convincing and alive than they do in person, as the camera eliminates the expectation of movement and interaction inherent in viewing a three-dimensional sculpture. By transforming these replicas into highly realistic photographic images, Usztyk challenges perceptions of authenticity, representation, and hyperreality, prompting viewers to question the increasingly blurred distinction between the real and the simulated.

Peter Andrew Lusztyk

Canadian

Main

Artist

Printer

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Raspberry (Small)