Photorealist paintings are deceptively real. They depict everyday scenes, often life-size, meticulously painted from a photo. In the late 1960s, this style was a way for a generation of artists in the United States to rebel against the dominance of abstract art.
But their paintings are more than just clever copies. These artists were among the first to ask questions about the growing influence of visual culture on society. But what stories lie behind their apparently carefree imagery? After all, for some artists, working from a photograph went hand in hand with a feminist perspective, a social message or Black representation. And how do contemporary artists deploy this visual language? In Focus: A Closer Look at Photorealism invites you to be seduced by the ‘lifelike’ images but also to look critically.
