Photorealism at the Parrish: Old is New Again

Photorealism had its moment as a genre of painting in the 1970’s, right? The exhibition at the Parrish Art Museum, featuring paintings from every decade since then, gives ample proof that Photorealism has not gone away. Rather the exhibition “From Lens to Eye to Hand: Photorealism 1969 to Today,” provides vibrant work from many artists who use photographs in their capacity to render detail. Early practitioners like Don Eddy: “Wrecking Yard I” from 1971, and Audrey Flack’s “Shiva Blue,” (1972-3), “Petit Fours” from 1976, and “Hers” from 1977 show pioneering work in this style. Flack’s “Wheel of Fortune,” (1977-8) dominates one gallery. These sit comfortably near recent paintings by Yigal Ozeri: “Untitled; Territory” from 2012, “Untitled; Olya” from 2016, and “Untitled; Olya & Zuzanna” from 2017, or Don Jacot’s “Herald Square, 1936 (After Berenice Abbott)” from 2013, to name just a few.

Subjects range from crashed cars’ bent chrome viewed behind a metal fence in Eddy’s painting to collages of symbolic objects as in Flack’s work; her “Wheel of Fortune” resonates with skull, red lipstick, a framed portrait in juxtaposition with strung beads, tarot card, and a single die. Jacot’s street scene evokes nostalgia for a city landmark forever altered by modernity, while Ozeri’s posed portraits in nature shimmer with sexuality. The fine catalogue with essays by Parrish Art Museum Director Terrie Sultan and Richard Kalina goes far in explaining how Photorealism differs from the expression of painters using photographs as the source material for their art. Several of Clifford Ross’ “Waves” welcome visitors to the Parrish’s exceptional show.

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura