Bombshell 

Sarah Joncas created "Bombshell" in 2013, using oil paint to depict a contemporary female figure against a nuclear backdrop. The smooth, almost airbrushed finish contrasts sharply with the explosive imagery behind her. Joncas employs the precision of traditional oil painting techniques, building up layers of color and light to achieve a hyperrealistic effect. Yet, the scene she creates is far from traditional. Her style is influenced by popular culture, which is evident from the presence of an I-phone, as a signifier of our own age, and the woman's fashionable appearance. The juxtaposition of the woman's casual pose and the cataclysmic event introduces a social critique. Joncas suggests how easily we can become desensitized to global issues, lost in our own curated realities. Her art challenges the boundaries between the fine arts and cultural commentary, urging us to consider the impact of mass production, consumption, and social issues on our perceptions.