Lifelike

Is it real? Lifelike invites a close examination of art since the late 1960s based on commonplace objects and situations that are startlingly realistic, often playful and sometimes surreal--works that investigate the quieter side of the quotidian. While artists such as Vija Celmins, Rudolf Stingel and Paul Sietsema employ illusionistic painting and drawing, others’ use of materials is surprising--Thomas Demand’s video of what appears to be a rainstorm is made from animated candy wrappers; Susan Collis’ sculpture of construction debris is fashioned from exotic hardwoods, mother of pearl and silver. What binds these artists together is their rejection of the easy route technology might offer in favor of labor-intensive fabrication. Featuring painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, video and installations by more than 40 artists, Lifelike is the first publication to address the recent history of artists using these strategies across media.