about the artist
Hayley Axelrad is a Toronto-based artist whose work transports viewers into hedonistic, often absurd worlds that challenge the myths surrounding success, luxury, and desire. Axelrad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from McGill University and has a background in fashion styling. She studied classical realism at the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto, where she developed a strong technical foundation before evolving her distinct, irreverent style.
Her paintings are a playful yet poignant exploration of the tension between outward perfection and inner discontent. Humor is a defining characteristic of her work, which remains decidedly unpretentious and light-hearted. Axelrad’s characters, frequently holding a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, inhabit spaces where excess and vulnerability collide. Her thick, textured oil paintings are distinguished by bold colors and a matte, almost chalk-like finish.
Axelrad’s work has been exhibited in Toronto, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, and has been featured in Elle Decor and The Globe and Mail.
The Monte Carlo collection is currently on view, May 23 - July 25.
artist statement
The Monte Carlo Collection
Set against the backdrop of imagined wealth and endless leisure, Monte Carlo dissects the myths we build around success, pleasure, and identity. Axelrad draws from the iconic imagery of the French Riviera — casinos, yachts, five-star hotels — to transport the viewer into a world of glittering surfaces and hollow abundance. Her subjects, surrounded by endless booze and cigarettes, reveal the quiet emptiness that can accompany having everything.
Each work navigates the tension between outward perfection and inner unease, using humour and surrealism to expose the fragile seams between aspiration and reality. Through lush colour and wry imagery, the series maps a world where hedonism masks a deeper discontent.
The Monte Carlo collection is currently on view, May 23 - July 25.