EXPLORATIONS OF THE PAINTED REAL: TECHNOLOGICAL MEDIATION IN THE WORK OF FOUR ARTISTS. By Gina Margareta Heyer Thesis presented inpartial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Visual Arts at the University of Stellenbosch Supervisor: Dr. Stella Viljoen (thesis) Co-supervisor: Mr. Vivian H. van der Merwe (practical) March 2011 Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. 2 March 2011 Copyright © 2011 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i Abstract This thesis is an investigation into the relationship between photorealistic painting and specific devices used to aid the artist in mediating the real. The term 'reality' is negotiated and a hybrid theoretical approach to photorealism, including mimesis and semiotics, is suggested. Through careful analysis of Vermeer's suspected use of the camera obscura, I argue that camera vision already started in the 17th century, thus signalling the dramatic shift from the classical Cartesian perspective scopic regime to the model of vision offered by the camera long before the advent of photography. I suggest that contemporary photorealist painters do not just merely and objectively copy, but use photographic source material with a sophisticated awareness in response to a rapidly changing world. Through an examination of the way in which the camera obscura and photographic camera are used in the works of four artists, I suggest that a symbiotic relationship of subtle tensions between painting and photographic technology emerges. This results in visions of the painted real that may be meaningful to contemporary society and have the ability to emotionally affect the viewer. ii Opsomming Hierdie tesis ondersoek die verhouding tussen fotorealistiese skilderkuns en die spesifieke metodes wat die kunstenaar se vertolking van die werklikheid vergemaklik. Die term, 'realiteit' word krities oorweeg te midde van 'n saamgestelde teoretiese aanslag tot fotorealisme wat mimesis en semiotiek insluit. Deur 'n noukeurige analise van Vermeer se oënskynlike gebruik van die camera obscura, hou ek voor dat fotografiese sig reeds sedert die 17e eeu teenwoordig is. Hierdie gewaarwording dui op 'n dramatiese skuif vanaf 'n klassieke, Kartesiaanse perspektief en skopiese regime tot die model van visie gebied deur die kamera, lank voor die ontwikkeling van fotografie. Ek stel voor dat kontemporêre fotorealistiese skilders nie bloot objektief kopieër nie, maar fotografiese verwysings met 'n gesofistikeerde bewussyn in reaksie tot 'n vinnig- veranderende wêreld gebruik. Deur 'n ondersoek na die wyse waarop die camera obscura en fotografiese kamera in die werke van vier kunstenaars gebruik word, stel ek voor dat 'n simbiotiese verhouding die subtiele spanning tussen skilderkuns en fotografiese tegnologie meemaak. Dit lei tot visionêre weergawes van 'n geskilderde realiteit wat 'n betekenisvolle posisie in die kontemporêre samelewing beklee en die moontlikheid besit om die toeskouer op 'n emosionele vlak te affekteer. iii Table of Contents Declaration .................................................................................................................................... i Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ ii Opsomming ..................................................................................................................................iii Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background to the study ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Aims and objectives ............................................................................................................ 4 1.3. Theoretical framework and methodology ........................................................................... 5 1.4. Literature review ................................................................................................................ 6 The negotiation of reality in painting and philosophy ....................................................... 6 Technology as a mediating tool used by four artists: Jan Vermeer, Robert Bechtle, Adriaan van Zyl and Gina Heyer ..................................................................................................... 9 Emotive responses to photorealistic paintings ................................................................ 11 1.5. Chapter breakdown .......................................................................................................... 12 Chapter Two: Negotiating the real.......................................................................................... 14 2.1. Perception and interpretation: connecting reality, painting and theory. ........................... 14 Physical relationships of painting to reality ..................................................................... 17 Philosophical relationships of painting to reality ............................................................. 20 2.2. The Real in Painting: Realism, Trompe l'oeil, Photorealism, photorealism, Superrealism, Hyperrealism. .......................................................................................................................... 26 Questioning the real ....................................................................................................... 26 Taking verisimilitude to the extreme .............................................................................. 29 Realism .......................................................................................................................... 30 Twentieth Century Photorealism and contemporary photorealism ................................. 31 Chapter Three: Vermeer and the camera obscura ................................................................ 33 3.1. Dutch 17th century: shifting scopic regimes...................................................................... 35 Cartesian perspectivalism ............................................................................................... 38 The camera obscura ....................................................................................................... 40 3.2. Looking at Vermeer's paintings ......................................................................................... 43 'This wedge of light': Tonal accuracy vs. linear accuracy .................................................. 43 Peripheries and soft focus .............................................................................................. 46 A slice of life ................................................................................................................... 48 3.3. Beyond the camera obscura ............................................................................................. 51 iv Chapter Four: Robert Bechtle, Adriaan van Zyl and Gina Heyer: the hidden camera and emotive response ..................................................................................................................... 54 4.1. Photography and changing scopic regimes ....................................................................... 54 The introduction of photography .................................................................................... 55 Changes and reactions.................................................................................................... 56 Negotiating photography, painting and reality ................................................................ 62 4.2. Looking at selected photorealistic paintings ..................................................................... 68 Photographs, composition and subject matter ............................................................... 69 The photograph as a transparent and objective intermediary to the real ........................ 74 Metaphors and contradictions: the commonplace made strange.................................... 81 4.3. Painting and emotive response ......................................................................................... 86 The artist's meditative search for perfection................................................................... 87 Understanding the emotive effects of paintings ............................................................. 91 The suspension of disbelief ................................................................................ 92 Disinterestedness and distance .......................................................................... 93 The dead and the live ......................................................................................... 96 The uncanny ...................................................................................................... 97 Barthes' punctum ............................................................................................... 99 The sublime ....................................................................................................... 99 Tears ...............................................................................................................