Mid Modern Realism

The Concept of Photorealism 

Photorealism was given its name based on artists whose art was based on photographs which they recreated with paints. Many photorealism artworks from the nineteenth century have a strong sense of Americana, such as trucks, cars, diners, and gumball machines. This art movement turned mundane visuals into masterpieces and marked an important period in art history due to its influence of photo relevance in contemporary art. 

Photorealism Paintings

Charles Bell:

Lucky Lady, 1990, New York

The Ultimate Gumball, 1978, New York

Art Elements: 

Color plays a huge role in both paintings by Charles Bell. Pops of vibrant colors make the  gumballs come to life while the variety of colors in the pinball machine create the excitement of the game through the painting. Shape is used in the The Ultimate Gumball to give the gumballs their round figure, as well as the peanuts and roundness of the gumball machine itself. Within Lucky Lady, all different types of shapes are present. Triangles create elaborate decoration along with cubes, hearts, and arrows. Pattern shows heavily on the pinball machine in the area underneath the 10s as well as in the gumball machine where the reflection of light off the gumballs occurs in the same place in each individual gumball, as well as the repetition of gumballs (of course). 

Appreciation:

My favorite aspect of each of these paintings is the youthful feeling. I enjoy playing pinball and even this last weekend I went to an arcade where I spent hours with my husband on pinball machines, so that offers me a feeling play and comfort. The gumball machines offer a feeling of nostalgia, and remind me of dinner with the family, or leaving the grocery store with my mom. The color in each of these paintings really brings together the idea of playfulness and catches the eye. These artworks relate to the theme of photorealism because its pure Americana and features still life. The pinball and gumball machines scream vintage arcade, which were often times depicted in photorealism. 

Audrey Flack:

Crayola, 1973, New York 

Royal Flush, 1973, New York 

Art Elements:

Linework is vital in Crayola and is used to give each crayon its shape, as well as in Royal Flush, where line work is used in almost every object, from dollar bill to cigarettes, cards, coins, and beverage glasses. Tone is used to create the illusion of light on the crayons by using a lighter color of each crayon, and shape is used a lot in Royal Flush to depict the rectangular form of dollar bills and cards, and the roundness of the stopwatch and the coins. Form is used in both paintings to create a three-dimensional feeling and look to the objects within the art, such as the three-dimensionality of the crayons, and the cigar and glasses. 

Appreciation:

I really enjoy the colors of the crayons and how perfectly Flack represented the placement of each one. I Also enjoy the realistic scenario of the card game and what a gambling table might look like. The card table has a very masculine feel to it, which differs immensely from the crayons that provide a feeling of youthfulness. I think I like Crayola more because it makes me feel happy while Royal Flush kind of makes me think of someone getting shot after a bad gambling session. These artworks relate to the theme because of the artist's recreation of items, particularly American items, and the realism is uncanny. 

 

Ralph Goings: 

Sizzle Kitchen, 1971, California 

Mcdonalds Pickup, 1970, California

Art Elements:

Because both of these paintings feature buildings, they rely on form to create realistic visuals. The form of each of these buildings is used to show the angle from which they're being viewed as well as the cohesion of object near them. Lines are used to depict light poles and telephone poles, as well as building signs and street paint. Goings uses space in order to place each object in a place that allows it to flow with other areas of the art. The streets are placed in positive space to portray a storefront, and fluffy trees in the negative space to create the feeling of a small town or even a neighborhood. 

Appreciation: 

Both of these pictures hit home for me because I grew up in a small town in California, much like Goings, but not in the 70's. I enjoy the realism of the depicted scenes, and I like how they feel familiar. I also enjoy food, so that adds to the satisfaction of viewing these. These photos relate to the theme of photorealism because it is clear that they were created from a specific viewpoints and they both feature realism of everyday life, nothing special. 

Tate. “Photorealism.” Tate, https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/p/photorealism

Kench, Sam, et al. “What Is Photorealism - the Art of the Real Explained.” StudioBinder, 27 June 2022, https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-photorealism-definition/