2. • Paintings & sculptures where photographs are used to gather
information and then replicated in exact detail so that they are
indistinguishable from the original subject.
• Reactionary movement against Abstract Expressionism art
movement, similar to Pop Art & Minimalism.
• Took place during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
• Other names for Photorealism are:
Hyperrealism, Superrealism, Sharp Focus & New Realism.
WHAT IS PHOTOREALISM?
3. Critic Howard Smith asked
me, “What are you going to
call this group?” I said, “I don’t
know, what am I going to call
them? They’re using the
photograph, they’re being very
open about it. It’s
photographic realism. I don’t
know, photorealism. Does that
sound good to you?”
-Louis K. Meisel
The term „photorealism‟ was coined by Louis K. Meisel in 1969.
"Six Views of Edo: Shinjuko III” by
Richard Estes
4. • Abstract Expressionism was the
favored American art style during
the post-WWII era.
• Abstract Expressionism used little
to no pre-planning, a lot of
spontaneity and was very
conceptual.
• Photorealism went back to the
roots of heavy planning and
realistic depictions of objects.
Unlike Abstract
Expressionism, photorealism
favored random objects and
“everydayness”.
REACTION AGAINST ABSTRACT
EXPRESSIONISM
“Tourists” sculpture by Duane Hanson
5. • Everyday objects and everyday
scenery, use of found objects
• Detached and impersonal
• Geometric and colorful
• Lets art speak for itself
• Rejection of elitism
• More cluttered than
minimalism, no “less is more”
• Points out commercialism of
America, very satirical look
• Relies very heavily on good
technique and skill
• Mistaken for real photographs
Similarities to Pop art &
Minimalism
Differences from Pop art &
Minimalism
PHOTOREALISM VS. POP
ART & MINIMALISM
6. Estes was born in 1932 in
Illinois. He attended college at
The Art Institute in
Chicago, Illinois. Estes is
regarded as one of the key
founders of the photorealism
movement. Most of his
paintings are of reflective city
life, mostly in New York City.
RICHARD ESTES
b. 1932 - present
7. TELEPHONE BOOTHS
• 1968
• Contained
abstraction
• Reflectivity
• Hyperreal from
afar, abstract brush
strokes from up
close
8. “The L Train” 2009 is a great
example of Richard’s constant use of
reflection used to confuse the mind.
He liked to do this with his paintings
so you would question what you are
actually seeing.
10. MICHIGAN AVENUE (1984)
As Estes work progresses
throughout time, what is seen in
his pictures changes. He carefully
selects what goes into his
pictures. From them you can see
a snapshot of time—what the
cars looked like, what was in
shop windows, and even what
people dressed like.
13. • Born July 14, 1940
• Used Grid Technique
• His works are generally larger
than life and highly focused
• Suffers from Prosopagnosia, also
known as face blindness
• "The Event”
b. 1940 - present
CHUCK CLOSE
14.
15.
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23. • Born in Alexandria, Minnesota in
1925.
• It took him until he was 40 to
realize he didn’t enjoy abstract art
and to fall in love with
photorealism
• Early works centered around
violent, graphic situations
• Later works focused on ordinary
life, people who get ignored
• Used his art to make a statement
DUANE HANSON
b. 1925 – d. 1996
30. • Duane Hanson used sculpture by casting parts of his
models’ bodies and then using a mixture of fiberglass
resin and polyester to create the forms.
• He then painted them to have flesh-colored skin and
any extra details like veins, muscles, freckles, etc. He
used real human hair to create wigs for the sculptures’
heads and bought clothing to fit them properly.
SCULPTURE TECHNIQUE
31. • Attended college in
Honolulu, Hawaii and Santa
Barbara.
• Originally was a surfboard
painter, and did not want to be an
artist.
• Known for extreme precision and
adding texture to his oil paintings
• Went from object oriented works
to images he juxtaposed in
relation to another
DON EDDY
b. 1944 - present
33. Angels of Destruction (1967)
One of his more well known pieces of art, it was a reaction to
Vietnam, including elements of G.I. Joe and Hell’s Angels (famous
biker gang). This referenced soldiers seriousness, set against an
American flag.
34. Prodigal Son Cycle: My Father Tempts Me, 1968
In this picture, he liked to cut in another image in place
of something else that should’ve been there. E.g. the
apple and the man’s face.
35. Two Volkswagens (1971)
In this one, you can see his progression into the photorealist
movement, using hyperrealist techniques.
41. HOW TO MAKE PHOTOREALISM
Grid Method
• Take a Picture
• Make a Grid
• Focus on detail
• Focus on lighting
42. • Paintings & sculptures where photographs are used to gather
information and then replicated in exact detail so that they are
indistinguishable from the original subject.
• Reactionary movement against Abstract Expressionism art
movement, similar to Pop Art & Minimalism.
• Richard Estes (Painting)
• Chuck Close (Grid Method)
• Duane Hanson (Sculpture)
• Don Eddy (Painting)
RECAP
