John DeAndrea
Encyclopedia
John De Andrea was born in Denver
, Colorado
on November 24, 1941 and is an American
sculptor, known for realistic sculptures of human figures, dressed and nude in true-to-life postures.
, Hyperrealism
, Verist and superrealist schools of art. De Andrea is known for extremely realistic polyvinyl
or polychrome
d bronze
casts of the human figure.
De Andrea received his Bachelor of Fine Arts
from the University of Colorado at Boulder
and studied at the University of New Mexico
in Albuquerque
on an art scholarship, 1966–8. He lives in Denver.
He is an artistic representative of Hyperrealism and the Hyperrealism school of art
,and specializes in nudes, frequently lovers, which he makes from plastic, polyester, glass fiber with natural hair and painted after naturalistic gypsum castings. The subjects were people from his close environment, as a rule, friends and studio models. In casting their bodies and casting the mold in different materials, showing all the forms and surfaces most accurately, the artist pursued the intention to record the authenticity and uniqueness of the individuals.
John De Andrea's work is often seen in connection with the work of Duane Hanson
(1925–1996) and George Segal
(1924–2000). In documenta
5 in Kassel
1972, his work was represented with life-size pencil drawings of a nude young man and a nude young woman as well as a sculpture of polyester resin, manufactured with body castings, which represented a couple in the act of love-making. Examples of his work are to be found in the Museum Ludwig
in Aachen
and Cologne
, Germany.
Realistic art is judged by its realism, which of course, can never reach reality; therefore to a certain extent this program already carries the risk of failure. Regarding John de Andrea's work, the figures often resemble dolls, and people do not regard realistic works automatically as art, even if the technical skill of the artist is admired.
This alienation between the lovers and their incurable misfortune becomes even clearer with the work shown in Aachen. The man is not only fully dressed and the woman naked, but she clings to him, while he touches her only minimally, in order to not induce an open rejection.
Looking closely, it can clearly be seen that the artist wants to bring the true core of the individuals portrayed to the surface. In the sculpture exhibited in the Museum Ludwig in Cologne in the 80s; in contrast to his other models; the model is black and has an unusual body insofar as her breasts are quite large.
In comparison with other realistic contemporary sculptors, John de Andrea doesn't depict any socially critical ideas. While Duane Hanson represented predominantly ugly, almost shapeless persons and thus criticism of the American society is not only intended, but cannot be overlooked, and while George Segal produces feelings of alienation due to his technology and showed the separation and isolation of humans in their everyday life, Andrea's convincing topic and eminent contribution is contemplation on the work of the sculptor; human problems of lovers interacting and the presentation of the basic core of individuals, albeit the degree of success in this last endeavor being very uneven.
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
on November 24, 1941 and is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sculptor, known for realistic sculptures of human figures, dressed and nude in true-to-life postures.
Classification
He is associated with the photorealistPhotorealism
Photorealism is the genre of painting based on using the camera and photographs to gather information and then from this information creating a painting that appears photographic...
, Hyperrealism
Hyperrealism (painting)
Hyperrealism is a genre of painting and sculpture resembling a high-resolution photograph. Hyperrealism is considered an advancement of Photorealism by the methods used to create the resulting paintings or sculptures...
, Verist and superrealist schools of art. De Andrea is known for extremely realistic polyvinyl
Polyvinyl
Polyvinyl is a group of polymers derived from vinyl monomers.Polyvinyl may also refer to:* Polyvinyl chloride* Polyvinyl acetate* Polyvinyl alcohol* Polyvinyl Record Co., an independent record label...
or polychrome
Polychrome
Polychrome is one of the terms used to describe the use of multiple colors in one entity. It has also been defined as "The practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." Polychromatic light is composed of a number of different wavelengths...
d bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
casts of the human figure.
De Andrea received his Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
from the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
and studied at the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
in Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
on an art scholarship, 1966–8. He lives in Denver.
He is an artistic representative of Hyperrealism and the Hyperrealism school of art
Hyperrealism (painting)
Hyperrealism is a genre of painting and sculpture resembling a high-resolution photograph. Hyperrealism is considered an advancement of Photorealism by the methods used to create the resulting paintings or sculptures...
,and specializes in nudes, frequently lovers, which he makes from plastic, polyester, glass fiber with natural hair and painted after naturalistic gypsum castings. The subjects were people from his close environment, as a rule, friends and studio models. In casting their bodies and casting the mold in different materials, showing all the forms and surfaces most accurately, the artist pursued the intention to record the authenticity and uniqueness of the individuals.
John De Andrea's work is often seen in connection with the work of Duane Hanson
Duane Hanson
Duane Hanson was an American artist based in South Florida but born in Minnesota, a sculptor known for his lifecast realistic works of people, cast in various materials, including polyester resin, fibreglass, Bondo and bronze...
(1925–1996) and George Segal
George Segal (artist)
George Segal was an American painter and sculptor associated with the Pop Art movement. He was presented with a National Medal of Arts in 1999.-Works:...
(1924–2000). In documenta
Documenta
documenta is an exhibition of modern and contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. It was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau which took place in Kassel at that time...
5 in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
1972, his work was represented with life-size pencil drawings of a nude young man and a nude young woman as well as a sculpture of polyester resin, manufactured with body castings, which represented a couple in the act of love-making. Examples of his work are to be found in the Museum Ludwig
Museum Ludwig
Museum Ludwig, located in Cologne, Germany, houses a collection of modern art. It includes works from PopArt, Abstract and Surrealism, and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. It also features many works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein....
in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
and Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany.
Realistic art
Most of his works document young women. Groups (for instance an older woman and a younger girl, both lightly clad) are rare, although some pieces of amorous couples are well known (example: naked woman and dressed man in Aachen) and in a few pieces he did an artist and model at work in which the artist is always dressed, and the model always naked.Realistic art is judged by its realism, which of course, can never reach reality; therefore to a certain extent this program already carries the risk of failure. Regarding John de Andrea's work, the figures often resemble dolls, and people do not regard realistic works automatically as art, even if the technical skill of the artist is admired.
Amorous couples
De Andrea's exhibition of lovers at the Documenta 5 excited substantial attention. The meaning of this work actually is not to be found in the provocation or in the unveiled representation of sexuality, but in the obvious and equally outspoken human problems of the couple. The work induces feelings of misfortune, misery and pity.This alienation between the lovers and their incurable misfortune becomes even clearer with the work shown in Aachen. The man is not only fully dressed and the woman naked, but she clings to him, while he touches her only minimally, in order to not induce an open rejection.
Sculptor and model
In contrast his works based on the sculptor and his model are characterized by a sober, professional relationship between the man and the woman; the artist concentrates on his work or rather is shown in situations, where he withdraws within himself to a meditative posture, and retreats into himself, in order to collect his energy and concentration for further work.Looking closely, it can clearly be seen that the artist wants to bring the true core of the individuals portrayed to the surface. In the sculpture exhibited in the Museum Ludwig in Cologne in the 80s; in contrast to his other models; the model is black and has an unusual body insofar as her breasts are quite large.
Comparison with Greek sculpture and contemporary sculptors
While Greek sculpture, with which his work is often compared, presents ideal-typical figures, De Andrea always shows individuals: unique, contemporary persons, the presence of these persons each being very different, however. The less present the individual persona, the more the impression of a doll.In comparison with other realistic contemporary sculptors, John de Andrea doesn't depict any socially critical ideas. While Duane Hanson represented predominantly ugly, almost shapeless persons and thus criticism of the American society is not only intended, but cannot be overlooked, and while George Segal produces feelings of alienation due to his technology and showed the separation and isolation of humans in their everyday life, Andrea's convincing topic and eminent contribution is contemplation on the work of the sculptor; human problems of lovers interacting and the presentation of the basic core of individuals, albeit the degree of success in this last endeavor being very uneven.
Mental conflicts
The tableaux of an older woman and a girl mentioned above represents an exception; the girl obviously suffers from an enormous mental shock; to a certain extent a history is being told, which must remain unknown for the viewer. The topic therefore probably is the emotional support of the older woman, who calms down the child by her proximity and by holding her fast and for a long time allowing the child to overcome its pain. In works like these the emotional complexity of the sculptor proves itself.External links
- Works Louis K. Meisel Gallery, New York
- The Dying Gaul, 1984, "The Getty" website showing an example of De Andrea's work
- John de Andrea. Sphinx. 1987. Polyvinyl, oil paint: life-size. East Tennessee State University
- John de Andrea, Model in Repose, 1981 National Galleries of Scotland
See also
- Duane HansonDuane HansonDuane Hanson was an American artist based in South Florida but born in Minnesota, a sculptor known for his lifecast realistic works of people, cast in various materials, including polyester resin, fibreglass, Bondo and bronze...
- George SegalGeorge Segal (artist)George Segal was an American painter and sculptor associated with the Pop Art movement. He was presented with a National Medal of Arts in 1999.-Works:...
- Ron MueckRon MueckRonald "Ron" Mueck is an Australian hyperrealist sculptor working in the United Kingdom.-Early work:Ron Mueck began his career working on the Australian children's television program Shirl's Neighbourhood...