Photorealism
In the late 1960s, a group of American painters began creating work that would challenge the dominant art movements of their time. They emerged from the shadows of Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism to form a new movement called Photorealism. These artists did not paint what they saw with their eyes alone. Instead, they studied photographs to gather information for their paintings. This approach was controversial when it first gained momentum in the United States during those years.
Critics reacted with intense disapproval to the artists' admission of using cameras and photographs as source material. Many argued that this reliance on mechanical reproduction undermined the value of human creativity. Yet these painters believed that the photograph had become the leading means of reproducing reality by the mid-20th century. They sought to reclaim and exalt the value of an image rather than point out its absurdity like Pop artists had done.
The movement represented a break in art history since the earliest known cave drawings. Artists faced the challenge of trying to replicate scenes they viewed through the lens of modern technology. By the 1950s, modernist critics and Abstract Expressionism had minimized realism as a serious undertaking. Photorealists tried to set themselves apart from traditional realists just as much as they distanced themselves from Abstract Expressionists.
Louis K. Meisel coined the word Photorealism in 1969. It appeared in print for the first time in 1970 within a Whitney Museum catalogue for the show Twenty-two Realists. Two years later, Meisel developed a five-point definition at the request of Stuart M. Speiser. Speiser had commissioned a large collection of works by the Photorealists which later became a traveling exhibition known as Photo-Realism 1973: The Stuart M. Speiser Collection.
This collection was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1978 and is shown in several of its museums today. The definition required that the Photo-Realist use the camera and photograph to gather information. They must also use a mechanical or semi-mechanical means to transfer that information onto canvas. The finished work had to appear photographic with technical ability matching the source image.
To be considered one of the central Photo-Realists, an artist needed to have exhibited work as a Photo-Realist by 1972. Additionally, the artist had to devote at least five years to developing and exhibiting Photo-Realist work. These criteria helped distinguish core members from those who merely worked in similar styles.
Photorealist painting cannot exist without the photograph itself. Artists gathered their imagery and information using cameras and photographs before beginning any work on canvas. Once the photograph was developed, usually onto a photographic slide, they systematically transferred the image from that slide onto canvases. This process often involved projecting the slide directly onto the canvas surface.
Some artists used traditional grid techniques instead of projection methods to achieve precise results. The resulting images were often direct copies of the original photograph but were typically larger than the source material. This approach created a style that appeared tight and precise with emphasis on complex visual elements.
Artists demonstrated high levels of technical prowess when simulating reflections in specular surfaces. They also captured the geometric rigor found within man-made environments. Change and movement had to be frozen in time so that the artist could accurately represent them through paint.
The first generation of American Photorealists included painters like Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Charles Bell, Audrey Flack, Don Eddy, Denis Peterson, Robert Bechtle, Ron Kleemann, Richard McLean, John Salt, and Tom Blackwell. These artists worked independently of each other while tackling mundane or familiar subjects in traditional art genres. Their choices ranged from landscapes mostly urban rather than naturalistic to portraits and still lifes.
With the birth of the Photorealist movement, many related painters continued to refine their techniques as the second generation emerged. These included John Baeder, Hilo Chen, Jack Mendenhall, Ken Marschall, David Parrish, and Idelle Weber. In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, photorealist approaches gained favor among artists including Mike Gorman and Eric Scott.
The introduction of these European painters to a wider US audience occurred through the 1982 Superhumanism exhibition at the Arnold Katzen Gallery in New York. Sculptors Duane Hanson and John DeAndrea also became associated with photorealism for their painted lifelike sculptures of average people complete with simulated hair and real clothes. They were called Verists.
Though the height of Photorealism was in the 1970s, the movement continues today with several original photorealists still active. According to Meisel and Chase's Photorealism at the Millennium, only eight of the original thirteen photorealists were creating work in 2002. As of September 2020, Richard Estes remained the only original Photorealist actively working in the style.
Many founding members have passed away or moved away from strict photorealist practices. Robert Bechtle, Charles Bell, Tom Blackwell, Ralph Goings, John Kacere, Ron Kleemann, Audrey Flack, and Chuck Close died between 1995 and 2024. Don Eddy and Denis Peterson moved away from Photorealism while Robert Cottingham no longer considered himself a photorealist.
Newer artists began building upon foundations set by originals like Richard Estes and Ralph Goings. Franz Gertsch emerged as a European artist in the 1980s followed by Clive Head, Raphaella Spence, Bertrand Meniel, and Roberto Bernardi since the mid-1990s. This internationalization appeared in events such as The Prague Project where American and non-American painters traveled together to locations including Prague, Zurich, Monaco, and New York.
The evolution of technology brought forth photorealistic paintings that exceeded what was thought possible with traditional methods. These newer works are sometimes referred to as Hyperrealism. With new cameras and digital equipment available, artists became far more precision-oriented than before.
They could produce imagery using wider ranges of media beyond standard paint on canvas. Bill Fink developed his own technique for creating photorealistic images using soil, pollen, human hair, and cremated human remains. Such innovations allowed for greater detail and emotional resonance within the genre.
Photorealism's influence and popularity continued growing into the 21st century. New books like Juxtapoz's 2014 publication entitled Hyperreal detailed current trends within the artistic genre. Artists now use digital tools to expand possibilities while maintaining core principles established decades earlier.
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Common questions
When did the Photorealism art movement begin and who coined the term?
The Photorealism art movement began in the late 1960s when American painters started creating work that challenged dominant art movements. Louis K. Meisel coined the word Photorealism in 1969, and it appeared in print for the first time in 1970 within a Whitney Museum catalogue.
What are the five requirements to be considered a Photo-Realist according to Stuart M. Speiser's definition?
To be considered a central Photo-Realist, an artist needed to have exhibited work as a Photo-Realist by 1972 and devote at least five years to developing and exhibiting Photo-Realist work. The definition also required using the camera and photograph to gather information and employing mechanical or semi-mechanical means to transfer that information onto canvas.
Which artists were part of the first generation of American Photorealists and what subjects did they paint?
The first generation included painters like Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Charles Bell, Audrey Flack, Don Eddy, Denis Peterson, Robert Bechtle, Ron Kleemann, Richard McLean, John Salt, and Tom Blackwell. These artists tackled mundane or familiar subjects ranging from urban landscapes to portraits and still lifes.
How did Photorealist artists create their paintings and why was this process controversial?
Photorealist artists gathered imagery using cameras and photographs before beginning any work on canvas, often projecting slides directly onto the surface. Critics reacted with intense disapproval because they argued that reliance on mechanical reproduction undermined the value of human creativity.
Who are some notable second-generation Photorealists and when did European photorealist approaches gain favor in the United States?
Second-generation painters include John Baeder, Hilo Chen, Jack Mendenhall, Ken Marschall, David Parrish, and Idelle Weber. The introduction of these European painters to a wider US audience occurred through the 1982 Superhumanism exhibition at the Arnold Katzen Gallery in New York.
Which original Photorealists were still active as of September 2020 and how has the movement evolved into Hyperrealism?
As of September 2020, Richard Estes remained the only original Photorealist actively working in the style. The evolution of technology brought forth photorealistic paintings referred to as Hyperrealism, which use digital tools and media beyond standard paint to achieve greater precision.