Sottorealism

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The term Sottorealism (from sotto Italian for “below” or “under”, Latin realis “concerning the matter”; res: “thing, thing”) describes an aesthetic approach in painting, photography and literature.

Concept history

The American art historian Carol Strickland (born 1946) first used the term sottorealism or sottorealism in an essay published in 2006 under the heading "Detour as a Route to Unity and Order". In this text, which deals with the visual world of the German / Greek painter Aris Kalaizis , she justifies her neologism:

“Bursting with ambiguity, his pictures promise to reveal what they are hiding. But even on closer examination, their multiple layers of meaning are inexhaustible. Perhaps a new term for the description of his work is more telling than the terms realism or surrealism . Instead of sur , which means above or above , Sottorealism is more appropriate here. Sotto ( below or below ) indicates the secrets hidden in a color that are buried under the surface of history. "

concept

Instead of painting a surreal overworld, the Sottorealists are interested in getting under the surface of the real. Since the dream in itself is not a creative act and the use of a lens, however sharp, does not understand how to convey an underlying picture of the real, the perception of the given is initially more important for the sottorealist than the mere idea evoked by the dream. The Sottorealist recognizes the forces at work in empirical reality (e.g. of dreams, memories, numinous) and in his work gives these forces, which are the basis of reality, validity by introducing them into the work as a visible and tangible dimension.

In order to get behind the appearance of things, the Sottorealist constructs a model, which he approaches through intensive observation before he gets into the realm of a changed, shifted world.

Procedure

Superstructures for the picture “The Flower House” by Aris Kalaizis (2011). The actress Andrea Sawatzki on the set for the picture

In terms of execution, this conceptual approach includes extensive real structures and models. These can take place in public spaces, outdoors or in the studio. They are supposed to put what gives the artist itself as an image to the test under real conditions. The process of building a model with the involvement of actors or live animals, for example, becomes part of the work of art.

In painting, Aris Kalaizis was the first painter to adopt this concept and also made structures and models in advance of working on the easel.

Representative

Prominent sotto realists are the Canadian photographer Jeff Wall , the Finnish photographer Ilkka Halso and the American Gregory Crewdson . In addition, the German photographer Thomas Demand is attributed to Sotto realism.

This approach is unique in painting and is used by the Greek-born Leipzig painter Aris Kalaizis.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ from: Aris Kalaizis in conversation with Carol Strickland_Katalog 'Rubbacord'_Kerber-Vg._S. 12
  2. ^ Rolf Lauter: Jeff Wall. Figures & Places_Selected works from 1978 to 2000, Munich / London / New York 2002
  3. ^ The Helsinki School , Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern-Ruit 2007
  4. ↑ Stephan Berg: Gregory Crewdson 1985-2005 Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern-Ruit 2005
  5. ↑ National Gallery , Steidl Mack, Göttingen 2009.
  6. ^ Making Sky , monograph with catalog raisonné (1995–2009). Hirmer-Verlag, Munich 2009