Hayley Axelrad is a Toronto-based oil painter whose body of work blends contemporary figurative art with expressionist influences. Her solo show, Monte Carlo, is currently on view at Alison Milne Co. Axelrad creates bold, colourful pieces that explore themes around luxury, wealth, and status. Her approach is not necessarily celebrating glamour, but instead, she pulls apart the layers of the world of the rich.
Installation view of Hayley Axelrad, Monte Carlo collection with Snake Eyes, 2025, oil on canvas 60 x 60 inches (right) at Alison Milne Co. 2025
Axelrad introduces familiar symbols like yachts, casinos, and high-end nightlife scenes to dissect what the idea of wealth and success is. Looks can be deceiving, and she has challenged the idea of perfection. She created a space where dialogue is welcomed and allows us to think about what’s behind the image of success. What’s missing from the picture? Through her layered figures and loose, expressive brushstrokes, she creates moments that feel playful but also insightful.
My first impression of her work is that it’s vibrant and playful, but there’s an underlying sense of mystery. As you spend more time with the paintings, you notice the lack of human emotion and facial expressions. This world is grand, but there’s a loss of connection, loss of relationships, and community. Her collection depicts social environments that are typically dynamic and eventful. Although you get the sense that these figures have everything except a real connection. The paintings convey emotional disconnection; the figures are physically present but mentally or emotionally elsewhere. Surrounded by glitz, glamour, and sophistication, but there’s no one to share it with.
Hayley Axelrad, The Lobby, 2025, oil on canvas, 40 x 40 inches
The Lobby has a variety of characters from the hotel staff to the guests. Although it doesn’t portray that different personalities can exist in the same world of wealth. The figures appear to be flat or one-dimensional, not offering complexity or depth. Lobby Bar portrays a woman sitting alone, enjoying a drink. Her hand holds up her face, indicating signs of boredom, or maybe loneliness. Her body language conveys a void, the need to fill in the gap with drinking.
Hayley Axelrad, Lobby Bar, 2025, oil on canvas, 48 x 36 inches
The painting, Trophy Wife, shows a couple who seem like they should have it all, but their connection isn’t portrayed. Viewers can feel how far apart they are even while being in the same space. Which raises the question: have they ever learned how to be present for one another? It makes you wonder if they ever learned how to be there for each other. Instead of enjoying the scenery, they’re indulging in smoking and drinking, attempting to feel something or fill the emptiness between them.
Hayley Axelrad, Trophy Wife, 2025, oil on canvas, 24 x18 inches
Hayley Axelrad’s Monte Carlo series invites you into the glamorous, high-end world. It slowly peels back the layers to reveal what’s really going on underneath. There is a tension between appearance and reality, success and emotional disconnection. One detail that stands out across the collection is the consistent use of green tones. These shades appear in every painting, acting as a visual thread that unifies the body of work. Green may symbolize envy or luxury, adding depth to the emotionally distant scenes. It could also be the artist’s subtle way of suggesting that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Overall, the collection is playful and insightful, a vivid reminder that luxury doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness.
Abuk Lual
Images are courtesy of Alison Milne Co.
*Exhibition information: Hayley Axelrad, Monte Carlo collection. May 23 – July 25, 2025, Alison Milne Co, #2-3, 134 Osler Street, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed – Sat, 12 – 6 pm.