Rush Drayton (b. 1998) is an emerging Australian sculptor who investigates human society through an animalistic, surrealist lens.Intrigued by the concept of detachment from our animal selves, Drayton explores animals' umwelt—their perception of reality through senses incomprehensible to humans—and how this may find representation in the human form.While working as a software engineer, Drayton studied the uncanny valley theory, which examines how human-like objects or graphics can provoke emotional responses and challenge viewers' perceptions of reality. Now, he applies this theory to his art. Silicone is the closest proxy for human skin, and by employing techniques of airbrushing, pigmenting, and punching individual hairs, Drayton creates works that look and feel startlingly real
Artist Statement
Animal Selves, a porcine girl in a moment of self-reflection, invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature. Pigs are among the most intelligent domesticated animals, outperforming three-year-old children and dogs in cognitive ability tests. They can empathise with human emotions and express their own through twenty distinct sounds. The girl's mask symbolises societal expectations that, as we mature, we distance ourselves from our instinctual, unfiltered connections with nature. The work challenges us to embrace our shared origins and to recognise animals as sentient beings. Photographing his sculpture in real-world settings, Drayton crafts a narrative where the porcine girl meets a human girl and her hound in a wooded bushland. Together, they explore and learn about themselves and each other, prompting viewers to question their differences from animals.