“It’s not done with one’s emotions, it’s done with the head.”
Richard Estes, August 2014
Out of the diversity of artistic styles used by Money Artists is the Hyperrealism.
In the late 1960s, the first Hyperrealist artists appeared in the USA, but the movement really took off in the early 1970s, as it expanded to Europe. The movement evolved in the early 2000s alongside with technology, into an astonishing and beautiful detailed art style that captivates many audiences.
In Reaction to Abstract Expressionism
The term Hyperrealism came up in 1973 when Belgian art dealer Isy Brachot presented “L’Hyperréalisme”, featuring Photorealist works from American artists.
Hyperrealism, along with Pop Art and Minimalism, appeared as a reaction to Abstract Expressionism. When, in the 1960s, most artists were focused on creating concepts where the emotion had to be the focus on the artwork, some artists intended to highlight the importance of careful planning in the creation of an artwork, in contrast to the spontaneity of Conceptual Art.
Hyperrealism (sometimes referred to as Superrealism or Photorealism) is identified as Visual and Contemporary Art, it includes painting, drawing, sculpture, digital or printing artworks.
“I believe that through our art,
and through the projection
of transcended imagery,
we can mend and heal the planet.”
Audrey Flack, May 1974
From Perfection to Emotion
The main aspect of Hyperrealism is a highly skilled technique, used to create works that not only resemble a high resolution photograph, but highlights every details and subtleties that the eye can see. It requires great discipline, patience and painstaking effort.
Artworks are usually larger than real life models. One of the methods used by Hyperrealist artists is the gridding, working from a photograph to recreate it with enhanced details, playing with colour intensity, light and shadows effects, contrast or textures. Almost an exaggeration in comparison to the reality, they always present a sharp and precise reflection of all aspects of a subject, a still moment in time in the life of an everyday object, portrait or landscape.
“A face is the road map of someone’s life.”
Chuck Close, January 2007
Hyperrealist artists incorporate a narrative in their concept, to generate a message or emotion from their artwork to the audience. They can integrate a variety or themes, including social, cultural or political, usually without description, leaving the spectator challenged to see beyond the technical perfection, deep to the emotional reaction.
Featured image: “Queen of Hearts: Audrey Flack” © Audrey Flack, Brienne Walsh from “Feminist As Audrey Flack”, Forbes, 17 Feb 2021.
Quotes sources: “Overcoming the mind at rest: Richard Estes at the Portland Museum of Art” © Leann Davis Alspaugh, The New Criterion, 12 Aug 2014. “CREDO” – From Commencement address at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts © Audrey Flack, May 1974. “What I’ve Learned: Chuck Close” © Andy Ward, Esquire, 30 Jan 2007.
Images sources: “Robert Bechtle at Crown Point Press” © Crown Point Press. “Nedick’s” © Richard Estes, courtesy Schoelkopf Gallery New York via The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. “Chuck Close in his studio during the 70s” © Chuck Close, courtesy Pace Prints, and Pace Gallery.
