Styles & Periods

Photo Realism

Photorealism, sometimes called Super-Realism, emerged in the United Stated in the late 1960s. The most stringent criterion of Photorealism mandated that a photograph be used to collect the information from which the painting would be realized. Just as a camera focuses non-objectively on minute details, the artist worked in exacting detail to produce a totally inclusive composition. The Abstract Expressionists and Minimalists had become formidable, creating art that was independent of any discernable reliance on real-world imagery. By and large, the Photorealists aimed to reinvigorate the value of an image, which had experienced a steady decline in the art world since the advent of photography. The banality of composition and subject stems from the work of Pop artists, who were called new realists. The link between these two movements was the focus on everyday objects and scenes, instead of compositions that arose from academic painting. Trademark components of Photorealistic paintings include the interaction of light with reflective surfaces, and the precision of geometric elements. Photorealism has endured into the 21st century, and technological and photographic advancements have allowed artists to further push the limits of the style.