The art movement known as hyperrealism is the culmination of a long line of artistic styles that have aimed to faithfully capture the real world. It is considered to be the direct successor to the Photorealism movement, which evolved from the Realism movement popularized in the 19th century.
Hyperrealism involves painting a subject in the most detailed and vivid way possible, pushing the boundaries of realism to their limits. One of the most intriguing aspects of this modern movement is the ability of hyperrealist artists to create incredibly realistic images that do not exist in reality, but rather originate solely from the artist's imagination. through a combination of precision and detail, hyperrealism art creates a world where imagination meets reality, resulting in captivating and mesmerizing works of art.
Hyperrealism: The Art of Creating Unreal Realities
At its core, Hyperrealism art attempts to do the impossible: it strives to create something more real than real life and yet, simultaneously, something that does not actually exist. No wonder it has received mixed reviews from critics and historians; however, it has also been applauded for its ambitiousness and innovation, two aspects of art that are at the basis of art history.
Hyperrealism aims to present its subject matter as realistically as possible while distorting base reality to create an unsettling, uncanny feeling in the viewer. The goal is to achieve a wholly believable false reality that leaves the viewer feeling that something is off, akin to viewing an image from a dream.
One of the leading examples of hyperrealism can be found at 1st-art-gallery.com, where William-Adolphe Bouguereau's "Pastourelle [Shepherdess]" is featured. This stunning piece exemplifies the hyperrealist movement by depicting a shepherdess in such a realistic manner that she appears to be a living, breathing person. However, upon closer inspection, the viewer may notice subtle distortions in her features that create a sense of unease.
History Behind Hyperrealism
As briefly mentioned above, the hyperrealism movement was primarily founded and born out of the principles of the Photorealism movement. This surreal art style started to develop its artistic philosophy by the "start of the 1970s" and rose to popularity worldwide soon after.
The term hyperrealism was first conceived as the title of a large exhibition of alternative artwork held in Brussels, Belgium, in 1973. The show's premier attraction was the contemporary photorealistic work of American artists, and the name stuck after that. In the wake of the exhibition, both American and European Photorealism artists began referring to themselves as Hyperrealists as a way to differentiate themselves from other artists and take the principles of Photorealism to new heights.
As the years went by, Hyperrealism art broke away from Photorealism and defined itself as its own entity. And the movement has continued to enjoy success up until this very day, with many people seeing video games and the new A.I. art programs and their realistic yet bizarre renditions as the next wave of Hyperrealistic art creation.
Distinctive Traits of Hyperrealism Art
Hyperrealism is a genre of art that boasts several unique and defining characteristics, each contributing to its undeniable identity. While photography undoubtedly plays a crucial role in this art form, it is by no means the sole defining quality of Hyperrealism paintings.
In contrast to photorealism, hyperrealism merely uses pictures as a starting point before being altered by artists into a more detailed and distorted version. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the movement is the distortion of reality; most hyperrealism paintings have an abstract, surreal, synthetic, or illusory aspect that can disturb the viewer's state of mind. The goal of making something that appears genuine yet isn't real is what hyperrealistic artists are focused on. The philosophy behind the Hyperrealism movement, which questions the nature of reality and the potency of illusion, is what makes it so wonderfully profound from an aesthetic perspective.
Diverse Styles of Hyperrealism Art
The hyperrealism art movement is a complicated and multifaceted category where artists work to produce aesthetically stunning works that push the limits of reality. There are three primary types that define the movement, each with a distinctive take on the art form.
Firstly, as mentioned above, most hyperrealistic artists' main ambition is to create something visually that has never been seen before. This is a relatively standard motive, though, and one that many artists shared throughout history.
Secondly, many artists who practiced Hyperrealism art aimed to take the principles of Photorealism to the next level. In other words, the principles of Photorealism are taken to new heights, with a focus on the quality of resolution and realism.
Finally, the more subdued components like lighting, texture, silhouette, and subject matter are equally crucial in producing distinctive and alluring hyperrealism art. These components are all skillfully combined to produce a look that is both mind-blowing and motivating.
Exploring the Techniques and Methods of Hyperrealism Art
The main method involved in Hyperrealistic art is predominantly mechanical in practice. Most Hyperrealism artists use photographs as the basis for their paintings or sculptures. They are known to use projectors and other devices, such as computers, to draw or transfer the image they wish to paint onto a canvas or mold. From here, they make preliminary drawings, and the process begins.
Other methods, such as gridding, underpainting, or an execution known as Grisaille, are also used. All these techniques and tools can greatly assist the Hyperrealist artist. However, in some cases, all that is needed is an abundance of time and painstaking attention to detail.
Themes Explored in Hyperrealism Art
Themes are often not so easy to quantify, as true artists know that boundaries and themes for their art are as limitless as their imagination is. In the case of hyperrealism, this is also often the case, and as a result, the paintings and sculptures therein cover a wide variety of topics.
There are some common themes threaded throughout the movement, though. Some of these include human emotions, real-life and still-life imagery, and land and cityscapes. In addition, social, cultural, and political themes have also featured prominently in the movement.
The Role of Color in Hyperrealism Art
Since the theory of color was first established in art in the mid-19th century, it has been a central feature and topic of importance for painting. The color theory proposes the language of color and how certain colors represent certain emotions.
The color theory also established the relationship between colors. This philosophy of color played a significant role in hyperrealism. The color schemes used and their relationship and contrast to one another lend themselves greatly to the Hyperrealism movement's distorted perspective and surreal angle.
Grey, black, and monochrome are also prominent features in many Hyperrealist works of art. These particular tones add sophistication to the artwork in much the same way that a black-and-white movie or photograph does.
Hyperrealism vs. Photorealism: Understanding the Differences in Artistic Approaches
Hyperrealism and Photorealism share many similarities but are also different. Hyperrealism is considered the successor to Photorealism and inherited its principles and ideals.
The main difference between the two is in their definition of realism. Photorealism aims to recreate the image as realistically and faithfully as possible, while hyperrealism creates an image that is so hyperrealistic that it becomes unreal in its presentation. While Photorealism has a narrow emotional scope, hyperrealism is much broader. Photorealism is traditional, whereas hyperrealism is extreme. Hyperrealism often adds emotion or storytelling into its artwork, whereas Photorealism does not.
Conclusion
The Hyperrealism and hyperrealistic art genre is one of the newest and most evolved forms of conventional artistic expression known to the art. It is the culmination of the initial Realism movement that started in the mid-19th century. It took these basic ideals of painting something as realistically as possible and evolved it to levels no one could have ever expected.
