what kind of `real`?

what kind of ‘real’?
what kind of ‘real’?
What this exhibition demonstrates, in a particularly fascinating way, is that there are really as
many forms of ‘realism’ as there are realist artists. Many of the artists – in fact nearly all – of
those shown here fall into the category of art that is now often described as ‘hyper-real’. This
implies not simply a description in paint of the thing seen, but an intensification of vision. The
painter invites the spectator to see more – more intensely – than he or she could manage
unaided. Many of the paintings have a hallucinatory quality. It’s not going too far to say that an
encounter with at least some of them is bordering on a religious experience. This, of course,
is a paradox, since realist painting is generally supposed to bring us closer to what we know,
rather than taking us away from it.
LUIGI BENEDICENTI
ROBERTO BERNARDI
NEIL DOUGLAS
PARK JIHYE
PHILIP MUñOZ
JUAN BAUTISTA NIETO
RAPHAELLA SPENCE
One of the things that the show makes one realize is that seeing may be a nearly universal
experience, but that every individual tends to employ this faculty in a slightly different way. The
test, here, is that it is easy to pick out different styles and approaches among the works on
view. You don’t need an education in art in order to do it. From this, perhaps, one can proceed
to the idea that while every painter sees differently, so does every spectator. In other words,
what is offered here is essentially a series of dialogues. The subject matter is usually familiar.
The ‘factuality’ of the work – if one may call it that – offers an anchor that is different from our
encounters with other kinds of art. Yet, at the same time, this factuality offers a unique and
exhilarating springboard for the imagination.
Edward Lucie-Smith
Art Historian, Critic and Author
LUCIANO VENTRONE
NATHAN WALSH
YUN WEEDONG
ALBEMARLE
LUIGI BENEDICENTI (born Italy 1948)
The overused comparison between Caravaggio and realist
painters does not really suit Luigi Benedicenti. It is somewhat
reductive to confine the historical horizon only to a sole artist,
even of such skilfulness as the Lombard master. The work of
Benedicenti is deeply rooted in the still-life tradition that sprouted
in Europe in the late XVI century, embodied by such masters as
Bosschaert the Elder and Bruegel the Elder, whose accurately
descriptive paintings were often employed for scientific
purposes. Such naturalism reached its apogee during the XVII
century in Rome and Naples with painters as Pietro Paolo Bonzi,
Giovan Battista Ruoppolo or Giuseppe Recco specialised in the
production of lavish still-lives, swarming with groceries, bovine
carcases, game, shining fish and iridescent shellfish of unusual
shape.
Notwithstanding Luigi Benedicenti has a strong independent
personality which cannot be fully explained through the prism
of his precursors. After having deeply meditated on their works,
absorbed the symbolic value, Luigi moved away from this genre.
He came up with a completely new style, what the critic Claudio
Malberti defined as ‘Realismo Estremo’ or ‘Extreme Realism’.
Benedicenti replaces the fish and meat that used to decorate
the dining rooms of the leisure class with contemporary Italian
patisserie, ice cream and classy drinks. However the change
in subject matter is not the only innovation introduced by
Benedicenti. Luigi is a son of our times and as such he uses all
the technical means at his disposal. The strong artificial lights
utilized during the early stages of his paintings allow him to
get the essence of the subject depicted and convey the same
sensorial feelings that the object would produce in real life.
Benedicenti’s style – clear, immediate, shiny of multicoloured
reflections – is the result of years of intense study and tireless
practice.
1 Nel Vassoio oil on canvas 103 x 170 cm (41 x 67 in)
2 La Dolce Idea oil on canvas 70 x 102 cm (28 x 40 in)
3 Mondrian… e le bugie oil on canvas 74 x 96 cm (29 x 38 in)
ROBERTO BERNARDI (born Italy 1974)
Roberto Bernardi’s first works date from the mid-eighties, and
whilst a young student he dedicated himself to the study of
Renaissance painting and pictorial technique, which later proved
to be extremely important in the development of his personal
creativity. In 1993 he moved to Rome, where he worked as
a restorer in the church of San Fransesco a Ripa. After this
experience, he dedicated himself full-time to the creation of his
own hyper-realist works. The realistic elements of the composition
are filtered through a photographic image resulting in a highly
technological reproduction. This image is then successfully
translated, using the traditional techniques of oil painting on
canvas, to a perfect image of reality. Despite adopting the aid
of advanced photo technology, his personal translation of his
subjects follows a classical line, such as the traditional priming
of the canvas, as practised by the painters of the 16 th and 17 th
centuries, combined with the perfection of oil painting technique.
Bernardi’s still life follows a mould of classic compositions with
great emphasis on the contrast of lightness and transparency
further enhanced by his ability to bring out light directly from
the objects represented as if they themselves had the capacity
to emit light. His paintings are in numerous public and private
collections throughout the world.
4 Vagabondi oil on canvas 70 x 80 cm (28 x 31 in)
5 Il Sorriso del Poeta oil on canvas 70 x 80 cm (28 x 31 in)
6 Il Taglio oil on canvas 70 x 90 cm (28 x 35 in)
NEIL DOUGLAS (born England 1978)
Throughout his childhood, Douglas experienced
the landscapes of America only through indirect
media such as photography, television and film. He
was fascinated by the iconic and absorbing images
of Hollywood films and brand advertising. His
paintings portray this idolised vision of Americana
he grew up with, an America void of political or
social connotations. They are escapist yet realistic
representations of everyday life, expertly captured in
the photorealist style.
When viewing Douglas’ work, one can clearly
recognise the influence of certain pioneers of
Photorealism, such as Richard Estes, Ralph Goings
and John Salt. Douglas shares their ability to
painstakingly recreate the complex visual details
of American life, be it in the reflection of a cafeteria
window, the sheen on a car bonnet or the neon
billboard sign, which hangs over a music hall. His
meticulous renderings of the Manhattan skyline are
perfect demonstrations of this skill and craftsmanship
he possesses as a painter.
7 Snapple
acrylic on canvas 120 x 84 cm (47 x 33 in)
8 Winter in New York acrylic on canvas 84 x 120 cm (33 x 47 in)
PARK JIHYE (born Korea 1983)
Park Jihye is a meticulous painter who concerns herself
primarily with depictions of women. These women are
often caught from behind, mid-movement. The lifelike
qualities of her paintings capture the atmosphere of a
specific moment in time. She has the ability of engaging
the viewer into a time sequence by painstakingly capturing
figures in movement. Without tension or preoccupation,
her characters become familiar to the viewer and her
paintings deny passive observation and encourage total
absorption within the moment.
9 Regard 0906
oil on canvas 146 x 97 cm (57 x 38 in)
10 Regard 0905
oil on canvas 194 x 130 cm (76 x 51 in)
11 Gesture 1001 oil on canvas 97 x 146 cm (38 x 57 in)
12 Regard 0907 oil on canvas 130 x 194 cm (51 x 76 in)
PHILIP MUÑOZ (born England 1980)
Muñoz’s work is concerned with the notion of glamour and its role
in social identity. He is particularly interested in the idea of beauty
through transformation and the concept of the contemporary
sublime.
Digital photography is an essential tool in his work. It creates
an emotional platform to connect with the subject, whilst the
staging and the artificiality of the photo shoot serve to enhance
the visual language of the imagery and the subsequent painting.
Muñoz is a self-taught painter having graduated in a degree in
Biochemistry at the University of Bristol. He has been an active
resident of Jamaica Street Studios in Bristol since 2006
13 How Many Is Too Many oil on canvas 120 x 120 cm (47 x 47 in)
14 Girl with Red Hair
oil on canvas 86 x 57 cm (34 x 22 in)
15 Noughties Girl oil on canvas 80 x 120 cm (31 x 47 in)
16 Another Pretty Face oil on canvas 125 x 125 cm (49 x 49 in)
17 Jess oil on canvas 76 x 61 cm (30 x 24 in)
JUAN BAUTISTA NIETO (born Spain 1963)
Nieto’s work presents an exaggerated obsession with recreating a reality, which reaches beyond
the precise representation of a photograph. He transcends the theme and concept of hyperrealism using it as a vehicle to take us onto another level wherein he achieves an extraordinary kind
of intensity, which paradoxically creates a distinct feeling of unreality.
His technique is equally obsessive as well as demanding and exhaustive. Every facet of his subject
is depicted with a minute and impersonal exactitude of detail. His materials are oil and acrylic
combined with air brush techniques employed to build an accumulation of delicate and continuous
layers of shades and multiple tones of light, shadows and density.
In common with other hyperrealist painters, he produces very few paintings each year and his large
works take between six to nine months to complete. With some justification Nieto is regarded
within Spanish art circles as one of the foremost exponents of hyper-realism in Spain today. 18 Culpa
acrylic on panel 53 x 122 cm (21 x 48 in)
19 Bodegon Sostenido acrylic on panel 100 x 100 cm (39 x 39 in)
RAPHAELLA SPENCE (born England 1978)
Raphaella Spence’s family travelled to France where she spent
the first eight years of her life. When they returned to London she
continued her studies and her interest in art began to emerge.
Her initial works were academic still-life paintings. At age twelve
her family moved definitively to Italy where she completed her
studies at the St. Georges English School in Rome. Influenced
by views of the Umbrian countryside, Spence turned toward the
creation of the Photorealist landscape. In 2000 she had her first
solo exhibition in Italy, obtaining public recognition and that of
the critics. In 2003 she had her first solo exhibition in the United
States in New York followed by her first London solo exhibition
at the Albemarle Gallery in 2004. Since then her paintings
have been included in numerous group exhibitions in Europe
and the USA. Spence has received critical recognition for her
work in widely circulated newspapers and magazines including
The International Herald Tribune, The Spectator, Arte di Giorgio
Mondadori, Panorama, La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera and II
Messaggero. The paintings of Raphaella Spence are included in
private, public and corporate collections throughout the United
States of America, Canada, England, Russia, Italy, Austria and
Germany.
20 Primavera oil on canvas 70 x 90 cm (28 x 35 in)
21 La Protagonista
oil on canvas 80 x 55 cm (31 x 22 in)
22 Il Colore del Tempo
oil on canvas 70 x 45 cm (28 x 18 in)
LUCIANO VENTRONE (born Italy 1942)
Luciano Ventrone is regarded by the Italian art establishment,
museums, curators and critics as one of the leading exponents
of his genre. He is loved, admired and respected by the
Italian people, collected by the Italian Government, Corporate
Institutions and avid collectors to such extent that his one-man
shows are complete sell-outs. Described as ‘hyper-realist’ the
Art Historian and Critic, Edward Lucie-Smith states, “Ventrone is
often categorized as a ‘hyper-realist’. This implies that his work
is somehow related to photography. As anyone who has looked
at his paintings carefully will know, this is not the case. Far from
offering us the somewhat flattened version of physical forms
typical of the monocular vision of the camera, his paintings have
an almost overwhelming solidity and physical presence, to the
point where the nearest shapes seem ready to break through the
front plane of the canvas. Despite any comparisons that can be
made to the art of the past, whether to Caravaggio or to any other
artist, this is painting that is intransigently modern, completely of
our own day.” His paintings are in numerous public and private
collections worldwide including Romano Prodi (former Italian
Prime Minister), the Modern Art Collection of the Italian Senate,
Barilla Collection, Federico Zeri Foundation, and the President of
United Arab Emirates Collection.
23 Vortici oil on linen 60 x 120 cm (24 x 47 in)
24 Come Nuvole oil on linen 70 x 80 cm (28 x 31 in)
25 Contemplazione oil on linen 110 x 150 cm (43 x 59 in)
26 Notte Estiva oil on linen 50 x 70 cm (20 x 28 in)
27 Lievi Pensieri oil on linen 70 x 80 cm (28 x 31 in)
NATHAN WALSH (born England 1972)
Walsh’s work attempts to present a credible space, which
whilst making reference to the visible world, and documentary
photography obeys its own distinct logic. From determining a
horizon line at the start of the process to spraying a final glaze
of colour, he controls the nature of the world he presents to
the viewer. Whether simply changing the size of a building or
introducing a structure found on Google Earth, he likes the
idea of inventing another reality, familiar in some ways to us
but fundamentally of his own making.
This is most evident at the drawing stage of the work, which
is the most open-ended and creative part of his process.
Working with a box of pencils and an eraser Walsh will draw
and redraw buildings, vanishing points will be shifted and
materials rearranged. At this point he aims to take ownership
of the raw information he is working with and not let it dictate
what is happening. Creating an urban landscape within its own
perspectival space has more potential than simply duplicating
the flatness of a photograph. Whilst a camera lens or software
package can suggest a mechanical space this is at odds
with how we actually experience reality. Walsh is interested in
creating paintings where the viewer feels they can enter into
and move around, and talk of the world we live in.
28 Metropolis
oil on archival polyester 211 x 140 cm (83 x 55 in)
29 Apple oil on linen 100 x 127 cm (39 x 50 in)
30 Lloyds Vertical
oil on linen 204 x 125 cm (80 x 49 in)
31 Hot Specialties oil on linen 100 x 125 cm (39 x 49 in)
YUN WEEDONG (born Korea 1982)
Yun Weedong masterfully utilizes watercolours to create
hyper-realist images of human figures. Though the
characters initially appear to be beautiful, upon closer
inspection their flaws are uncovered – dirty fingernails,
body hair, veins and wrinkles – and the paintings take on
remarkable emotion with each imperfection. Often painted
against a dark background, his figures fade in and out of the
darkness, as if drifting precariously through life and death
with ashen skin. Deeply psychological, these paintings play
on our religious understandings of life, death and afterlife.
32 Contrast 62
watercolour on paper 110 x 56 cm (43 x 22 in)
33 Contrast 29 watercolour on paper 112 x 145 cm (44 x 57 in)
© ALBEMARLE GALLERY MMXI
ALBEMARLE