Realism, NOVOREALISM, new art movements and Desperate Romantics

Currenty on TV here is the BBC series DESPERATE ROMANTICS, the lusty tale of the rebellious, talented & charismatic artists that foundered the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.



But what does it take to claim a new art movement today?

Today's Desperate Romantics, Alexy Steele, Tony Pro and Jeremy Lipking think they know and have launched "NOVOREALISM". But is "NOVOREALISM" a new art movement or the result of unrestrained inflated egos in action?

Tony Pro in action.



What is "NOVOREALISM"?

NOVOREALISM according to Alexy Steele is the...
" Revolution that Came;
Revolution is raging in the land. There was no name worthy of it until now. Yet here it is: “NOVOREALISM."
It is a description of current and present, widely spread artistic movement functioning as a set of specific tools, philosophy and practice. As any major art movement in history - it is a common visual language based on a common worldview. As any language, it has its own rules – without knowing them you can still appreciate the music of the language but without comprehending its true meaning....."
to read the whole Manifesto Click here

Looking at the 3 main protagonists Pro, Lipking & Alexey....maybe they should've called themselves "THE INSTAMATICS" for their mainly simple point and shoot painting.........and leave the "revolutionary art" to greater minds.

A new art movement or self-promotion? Not that there is anything wrong with promoting oneself or one's artistic beliefs?

I see "NOVOREALISM" not as a new art movement, but as part of the recent trend of artists working with "realism" who are standing up and demanding to be noticed. A grouping of like minded artists to gain strength as a collective.

Another "realism" promoting event is Realist Revolution, a panel discussion on Friday night April 23rd 2010 4:00pm
 Hyatt Regency Reston, VA


Contemporary Art:
REALIST REVOLUTION
and
CRITICAL RELEVANCE
Is Main Stream Media Missing an Important Cultural Trend?

Premises: 
"There is an actually existing, wide-spread, multi-faceted Realist movement in
the Art world today. It is functioning as a set of specific tools,
philosophy and practice. As any major art movement in history - it is a
common visual language based on a common world view. 
This movement is current, relevant and forward - looking
. This movement is part of presently existing contemporary Art 
This movement is a reflection of an important aspect of our modern world - democratization of cultural plane.

"

Hopefully someone will document it so it can be seen by many.


Meanwhile, on March 14th Graydon Parrish gave a lecture at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and luckily the artist Jim Harris was there to video it.

Graydon's talk was titled; Technique as Influence: The painter's odyssey of craft and communication.
Although, it wasn't strictly a "realism" promoting event, it was a considered & articulate argument in favour excellence in technique mainly displayed in realist painting.

Here is Part 1 of 10 videos, all well worth a viewing.



Artists working with 'Realism" are beginning to group together, social networking sites like Facebook is a major conduit for this. Some form tight bonds, others loose associations, but one thing is certain, there is the beginnings of a push for wider recognition. I do believe it's important for "realist" groups to be inclusive, rather than exclusive. To be openminded towards the many and varied approaches artists take that can be seen as forms of "Realism".

Meanwhile, I'll do my small bit, here In The Real Art World to promote as wide a range of realist artists as possible and to be inclusive of both Contemporary artists and those who are more traditional in thier outlooks.