Cynical realism :.

Cynical realism

Outline:

Brief Introduction and Quickfacts
Detailed Description
Artists and Paintings
More Examples – defined visual appearance
Tools for digitial artists, prompters and word smiths

Overview and quickfacts

Cynical realism is a term used to describe the work of a group of Chinese artists who emerged in the late 1980s. The artists were united by their rejection of the optimistic, socialist realist art that had been the official style of the Chinese Communist Party since 1949. Cynical realism artists instead sought to reflect the harsh realities of life in China in the 1980s and 1990s, when the country was undergoing rapid economic and social change. The style is characterized by its use of dark humor and satire to depict the everyday struggles of ordinary Chinese people.

The art style is also known as: skeptical realism, pessimistic realism, world-weariness, jadedness
Categories: Impressionism, Modernism

1. Edward Hopper (1882-1967) 2. Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) 3. Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993) 4. Edward Ruscha (1937-) 5. Wayne Thiebaud (1920-) 6. George Bellows (1882-1925) 7. Charles Burchfield (1893-1967) 8. Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) 9. John Steuart Curry (1897-1946) 10. Grant Wood (1891-1942) 11. Reginald Marsh (1898-1954) 12. Ben Shahn (1898-1969) 13. Aaron Douglas (1898-1979) 14. Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991) 15. Diego Rivera (1886-1957) 16. David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896-1974) 17. Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949) 18. Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) 19. Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) 20. Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) 21. Mark Rothko (1903-1970) 22. Clyfford Still (1904-1980) 23. Barnett Newman (1905-1970) 24. Adolph Gottlieb (1903-1974) 25. Robert Motherwell (1915-1991) 26. Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) 27. Morris Louis (1912-1962) 28. Kenneth Noland (1924-2010) 29. Jules Olitski (1922-2007) 30. James Brooks (1906-1992)

1. The Hay Wagon, by American painter Andrew Wyeth (1937) 2. The American Gothic, by American painter Grant Wood (1930) 3. The Persistence of Memory, by Spanish painter Salvador Dali (1931) 4. The Scream, by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1893) 5. The Night Cafe, by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1888) 6. The Old Guitarist, by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (1903) 7. The Starry Night, by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1889) 8. The Son of Man, by Belgian painter René Magritte (1964) 9. Nighthawks, by American painter Edward Hopper (1942) 10. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, by German painter Hans Rudi Giger (1920) 11. The Third of May 1808, by Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1814) 12. The Nightmare, by Anglo-Swiss painter Henry Fuseli (1781) 13. The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Japanese painter Katsushika Hokusai (1829-1833) 14. The Hay Wagon, by American painter Andrew Wyeth (1937) 15. The American Gothic, by American painter Grant Wood (1930) 16. The Persistence of Memory, by Spanish painter Salvador Dali (1931) 17. The Scream, by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1893) 18. The Night Cafe, by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1888) 19. The Old Guitarist, by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso (1903) 20. The Starry Night, by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh (1889) 21. The Son of Man, by Belgian painter René Magritte (1964) 22. Nighthawks, by American painter Edward Hopper (1942) 23. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, by German painter Hans Rudi Giger (1920) 24. The Third of May 1808, by Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1814) 25. The Nightmare, by Anglo-Swiss painter Henry Fuseli (1781) 26. The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Japanese painter Katsushika Hokusai (1829-1833) 27. The Hay Wagon, by American painter Andrew Wyeth (1937) 28. The American Gothic, by American painter Grant Wood (1930) 29. The Persistence of Memory, by Spanish painter Salvador Dali (1931) 30. The Scream, by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1893)

Detailed Description

Cynical realism is a movement in Chinese art that emerged in the late 1980s. It is characterized by its critical stance towards Chinese society and its often dark and satirical depictions of everyday life. Cynical realism was born out of the disillusionment of the Chinese people following the country’s economic reforms of the 1980s. These reforms led to widespread corruption and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. Cynical realism was a response to the growing materialism and consumerism of Chinese society, and its artists sought to expose the dark side of this new reality. Cynical realism is often compared to the Western art movement of pop art, as both movements critiqued the growing consumer culture of their respective societies. However, cynical realism is distinguished from pop art by its darker and more satirical tone. Some of the most famous Cynical Realist artists include Zhang Xiaogang, Yue Minjun, and Fang Lijun. Their work often features ordinary people engaged in everyday activities, but with an underlying sense of despair and disillusionment. One of the most iconic paintings of the Cynical Realist movement is Yue Minjun’s “Execution” (1995). The painting depicts a group of men standing in a line, waiting to be executed. The men are all smiling, seemingly resigned to their fate. The painting is a powerful commentary on the brutal reality of life in China at the time. If you’re interested in learning more about Cynical Realism, be sure to check out the work of these important artists. Their work provides a fascinating and often disturbing glimpse into the dark side of Chinese society in the late 20th century.