Tuesday, January 11, 2011

How Real is Real?

There is something creepy and amazing about realist painters. Anyone who can replicate down to an errant eyebrow hair the human face is totally gifted. Brooklyn artist, David Jon Kassan, uses oil paint on wood panels to capture the essence. But even the 19th century Realist Movement wasn’t as real. How real is real? Kassan is photographic real… 3D real. His photorealist paintings remind me of Duane Hanson’s sculptures. There isn’t a visit to the Milwaukee Art Museum where I don’t say “hi” to the Janitor who reminds me that not all that is real is really real. (It’s too bad that a sign is now posted there to tell visitors the obvious: “hands off!” But clearly, good art does make us want to reach out and touch it.)

1 comment:

  1. There is a "Security guard" on duty at the Frontier Airlines center (Former Midwest Airlines) on the first floor next to the entrance. When we were there for our National Conference, I had to convince several people that it was not real. they told me later that they actually went up to it to make sure. That is too creepy.

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