Magical Realism in Photography
On view from November 17, 2011 through January 14, 2012
Opening Reception: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.HCP
Curator remarks and Artist Talks: Thursday, November 17, 5:30 p.m.
The term “Magic Realism” began as a reference to the post-expressionist painters of the Weimer Republic. German art critic Franz Roh coined the term in the 1920s, describing the smooth photographic qualities of the painters Otto Dix, Max Ernst, and George Grosz. Closely related to Surrealists, who dealt with more psychological landscapes, the Magic Realists were noted for depicting a scene that would be considered to be super-normal, in a way that makes it seem completely normal.
The modified term “Magical Realism” took a very strong hold in the literary world in the 1950s and is best known as describing the writers of Latin America: Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Isabel Allende, Leonora Carrington, and Gorge Luis Borges. The basic premise of Magic Realism was maintained, with the unusual twist to something that would otherwise be considered normal, and the histories in the novels by these authors bring vivid imagery to mind of the bizarre events they describe.
Today, super-sophisticated photo-imaging tools lend themselves to this style. This exhibit is a collection of photographs that bring to mind the mysterious and beautiful aesthetic found in Latin American Magical Realism. Though some of these images are digitally altered and some are natural photographs, there is a consistent attachment to this aesthetic that begins with reality and then takes its own course. This is by no means a comprehensive survey of the aesthetic of Magical Realism in Photography (that would require a far larger gallery space) but it is a small beginning.
Artists Included in this Show:
Meghan Boody
Ruth Dusseault
Sharon Harper
Joel Lederer
Beth Moon
Jean Francois Rauzier
Maggie Taylor
Aleix Plademunt
Guest Curator: Libbie J. Masterson, Interim Exhibitions Coordinator, HCP
HCP is located at 1441 West Alabama in the Museum District of Houston. Gallery hours are: Wednesdays – Sundays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, please call 713-529-4755 or visit www.hcponline.org .
