Hyper-realism

[Steve H]

I've seen hyper-realistic paintings - urban landscapes - and found it hard to believe they weren't photographs, but, while I love this woman's art, they look like paintings, not photographs, to me, except for the amazing bubbles on top of the cup of coffee (or whatever it is).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-india-62763005

[Steve H]

Found this - all wonderful art, some - not all - hard to believe aren't photographs, and high-resolution photographs at that. Not sure what the point is, apart from the "wow!" factor, but kudos.

[Nearly Sane]

Found this - all wonderful art, some - not all - hard to believe aren't photographs, and high-resolution photographs at that. Not sure what the point is, apart from the "wow!" factor, but kudos.

Yep, it's an interesting issue. You can obviously ask 'Does art need a point?' but  you're left with 'Couldn't you just take a photo?'.

Add to that that someone could do a hyperreal painting of something that they were looking at, or of a photo, or of something that they had just imagined - is there a difference there in what we might feel about each of those?

And if someone were then to take a photo of the painting, and indeed that's how we are seeing them here, can, given photography is seen as an art, the photo otself be a different work of art from the painting?

And, of course, what if someone then paints a hyperreal painting of the photo of the painting of what may or may not be a photo?

And so on and so on and so on...


Who's got the spliff?

[Gordon]

The large scultures of people, and especially the asleep face, I find a bit unsettling to look at.

[Steve H]

The large scultures of people, and especially the asleep face, I find a bit unsettling to look at.

Me too.
NS - yes, it could lead to an infinite regression.
I've changed the thread title, to make it about hyper-realism in general.

[Nearly Sane]

The large scultures of people, and especially the asleep face, I find a bit unsettling to look at.

I think we are in the uncanny valley.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

A few years ago when Helen George appeared on Strictly, I used to have that unsettled feeling watching her.

[Nearly Sane]

Me too.
NS - yes, it could lead to an infinite regression.
I've changed the thread title, to make it about hyper-realism in general.

The other issue is whether our knowledge of what sinething is should make a difference. Say you and ai are in a room where there is a hyperreal painting, and the photo that the painting was painted from, and a photo of the painting. They are displayed in such a way that anyone looking can't tell the difference, e.g. we are not alliwed up close, the lighting, all behind glass. You, though, hung them up, and know which is which: I don't. My gut reaction is that you would unavoidably have a very different perspective on how each of the pieces made you feel as opposed to mine which should get the same 'feeling' from each.