Hyperrealism: the boundary between painting and reality

What was the Hyperrealism art movement?

Photographic hyperrealism is an artistic movement that emerged in the 1960s in the United States and Europe. Also known as Photographic Realism or Photorealism, this movement seeks to portray reality as faithfully as possible, creating works of art that look like photographs.
Artists in the photorealism movement draw inspiration from photographs and other imaging media to create extremely detailed and precise works of art. They used techniques that allowed creating effects of depth, textures and shadows, such as the use of fine brushes, airbrushes and layered painting techniques.

Photorealism artworks are often large in size to further enhance accuracy and detail. In addition, the themes of the works vary greatly, ranging from landscapes, inanimate objects, animals to human portraits. Some of the best known artists of the hyperrealist movement include Chuck Close, Richard Estes, Ralph Goings and Duane Hanson. Although the movement emerged in the 1960s, there are still artists producing photorealism works today.

What is the history of Hyperrealism?

Photorealism is a relatively recent artistic movement that emerged in the 1960s, as a reaction to Abstractionism and other artistic trends that moved away from realistic representation. The movement began in the United States and Europe, at a time when photographic technology was on the rise and popular culture was flooded with photographic images in magazines, newspapers and television.
Early hyperrealist artists such as Richard Estes and Chuck Close created works of art that were as realistic as photographs, yet at the same time unique and authentic as artistic expressions. Unlike photography, which captures instant images, photorealism artists would spend weeks or even months working on a single work, using carefully crafted painting techniques to achieve as much detail and precision as possible.

In the 1970s, the photorealism movement expanded to other countries, such as France, Germany and England, and began to branch out in different directions, such as Sculptural Hyperrealism, led by artists such as Duane Hanson and John De Andrea. Today, Hyperrealism continues to be an influential movement, with artists around the world exploring the representation of reality through diverse techniques such as painting, sculpture, photography and even digital art.

What are the characteristics of photorealism?

1. Accurate representation of reality: photorealism seeks to portray reality with the greatest possible fidelity, using techniques that allow the creation of depth effects, textures and shadows, creating works of art that resemble photographs.
2. Extreme detail: Photorealism artists focus on details, creating works of art that are extremely minute and precise. They use techniques that allow them to create textures, light and shadow effects, and surface details that look very real.
3. Big size: Photorealism artworks are usually large in size, to further enhance accuracy and detail.
4. Miscellaneous topics: Photorealism artists work with a variety of subjects, including landscapes, inanimate objects, animals, and human portraits. They often depict common everyday objects, such as soda bottles or food packaging, turning them into works of art.
5. Use of layered painting techniques: Photorealism artists use layered painting techniques, applying multiple layers of paint to create effects of depth and texture.
6. Using advanced painting tools: Photorealism artists utilize a variety of advanced painting tools such as fine brushes, airbrushes, and even digital painting techniques.
7. Absence of subjective interpretation: photorealism seeks to represent reality with precision and objectivity, without the subjective interpretation of the artist. The works are created to be appreciated for their realism, without intending to convey a particular message or point of view.

What are the influences of the photorealism movement?

1. Photography: photography had a great influence on the emergence of photorealism, as photographic techniques allowed the creation of highly detailed and accurate images. Pop art: Pop art, which emerged in the 1950s, also influenced the photorealism movement, especially in relation to the depiction of common, everyday objects.
2. Realism: Photorealism is a continuation of Realism, which focuses on the objective representation of reality. Hyperrealist artists share Realism's goal of representing reality accurately and objectively.
3. Surrealism: although photorealism is a reaction to Surrealism, the movement was also influenced by Surrealist interest in everyday objects, which are often portrayed in strange or unusual ways.
4. Traditional painting techniques: Photorealism artists were also influenced by traditional painting techniques, which allow them to create depth effects, textures and shadows.
5. Renaissance art: Renaissance art, with its interest in the realistic representation of the human figure and nature, also influenced the photorealism movement.
These combined influences helped to create an artistic movement that is highly technical and precise, while at the same time representing reality in a highly detailed and thorough way.

Who are the most famous artists associated with the photorealism movement?

1. Chuck Close: American artist known for his large-scale photorealistic portraits, created by applying layered paint.
2. Richard Estes: American artist known for his photorealistic paintings of urban scenes and interiors, often depicting reflections and mirrored surfaces.
3. Robert Bechtle: American artist known for his photorealistic paintings of California cars and urban scenes.
4. Ralph Goings: American artist known for his photorealistic paintings of food, cars and urban scenes.
5. Duane Hanson: American sculptor known for his photorealistic sculptures of life-size people, often depicting ordinary people in everyday situations.
6. Claudio Bravo: Chilean artist known for his photorealistic paintings of objects and landscapes, often depicting Mediterranean scenes.
7. Pedro Campos: Spanish artist known for his photorealistic paintings of urban landscapes, often depicting the architecture of Madrid.
These artists, among others, have contributed to the development and popularity of the photorealism movement over the last few decades.

What are the most famous artworks of photorealism?

Photorealism is an artistic movement that seeks to portray images in an extremely realistic way, with a high degree of detail and precision. Some of the most famous artworks of photorealism include:

“Philip Glass” by Chuck Close: This artwork is comprised of eight large-scale portraits by artist Phil Glass, which were created between 1968 and 1970.

“Tourists II” by Duane Hanson: Duane Hanson's life-size hyper-realistic sculptures of the 1970s and 80s depict figures repressed by their own excess, overweight and burdened by their revealing props. Duane Hanson is known for his sculptures of ordinary people.

"Mask II" by Ron Mueck: it is a self-portrait of the sleeping artist. However, it is not full-size, but scaled almost four times as large, measuring approximately 30 x 46 x 33 inches. The work is known for its anatomical accuracy and its ability to portray human emotions.

"Candy Rainbow" by Roberto Bernardi: This photorealistic painting depicts a tea table with an assortment of sweets, which look so real you can almost smell them.

"McDonalds Pickup" by Ralph Goings: It's a typical American motif that Ralph Goings portrayed in his 1970 painting entitled McDonald's Pickup. His hyper-realistic work seems strangely ambiguous: not a single person is seen, either in the parking lot or in the fast-food restaurant.

These are just some of the most famous works of Hyperrealism, which is an artistic movement that continues to evolve and amaze viewers with its precision and technical skill.