John De Andrea
| John De Andrea | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 24, 1941 Denver, Colorado |
| Residence | Denver |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Colorado at Boulder |
| Alma mater | University of New Mexico in Albuquerque |
| Known for | Realistic sculptures of human figures |
| Movement | Photorealist, Hyperrealism, Verist and superrealism |
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.
Life
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.[1]
Work and themes
De Andrea 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.
His 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.
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.
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.[2]
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.[3][4]
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.[5]
Collections
De Andrea's work is included in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art[6] and the Museum Ludwig in Aachen and Cologne, Germany.[7]
References
- ↑ Biography, publications, exhibitions, bibliography Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine., retrieved August 13, 2010
- ↑
- John de Andrea Archived 2010-11-30 at the Wayback Machine. at Ludwig Forum für internationale Kunst, Aachen, Germany, retrieved August 13, 2010
- ↑ John De Andrea Allegory:after Courbet 1988. Art Gallery of Western Australia, retrieved August 13, 2010
- ↑ John de Andrea, Sculptor and model Abb. TU Cottbus, retrieved August 13, 2010
- ↑ See Bildindex, John de Andrea, 1977, 3 views, retrieved August 13, 2010
- ↑ https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/727479
- ↑ Ursula Peters: John De Andrea. In: Handbuch Museum Ludwig. Kunst des 20. Jahrhundert. Köln 1979; S. 50
External links
- 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
