Blending surreal elements with detailed realism, Lara Hochreiter’s oil portraits explore our intrinsic connection to the natural world. Each colorful painting is like a portal into the subject’s inner world, revealing lived experiences through nature-infused symbolism. Hochreiter explains, “I create from the space where vulnerability and resilience coexist.”
In two separate works, Hochreiter paints her subjects holding oversized hearts with plantlife growing from their fleshy surfaces. Just as Frida Kahlo used hearts to symbolize emotional pain in her paintings, Hochreiter uses the human organ to capture emotions that we all hold but often struggle to put into words.
“I explore the heart not just as a biological organ, but as a fertile vessel—a place where pain, memory, identity, and beauty all take root,” she says. “The flowers sprouting from it are not ornamental, but evidence of emotional labor: growth through struggle.”
In other works, Hochreiter explores themes of mythology. One piece depicts a modern Tiresias, a blind prophet from Greek mythology known for his extraordinary gift of foresight. The male portrait features birds carrying flowers with eyeballs in the center, symbolizing his ability to look into the future.
“Though sightless, Tiresias ‘saw’ more clearly than others, interpreting omens, dreams, and nature’s signs, such as the flight and song of birds,” explains Hochreiter. “His wisdom and prophecies often served as crucial guidance in the mythological tales of figures like Oedipus and Odysseus, blending divine insight with a profound understanding of human destiny.”
Hochreiter’s stunning paintings are gaining the attention they deserve. She recently won First Prize in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize’s Catherine K. Gyllerstrom Emerging Artist Award for 2025, and her work is currently on display at the Haven Gallery in New York.
Check out some of the artist’s recent work below and find more by following Lara Hochreiter on Instagram.
Barcelona-based artist Lara Hochreiter’s stunning oil portraits explore human emotions and our connection to nature.
Each colorful painting is like a portal into the subject’s inner world, revealing lived experiences through nature-infused symbolism
Lara Hochreiter: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Lara Hochreiter.
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