Pictures Generation

Pictures Generation. This was an influential art movement that emerged in the mid-1970s, primarily centered in New York City. The artists, many of whom studied at the California Institute of the Arts under influential figures like John Baldessari, were united by their critical engagement with mass media imagery. Their work deconstructed the visual language of advertising, film, television, and magazines to question ideas of originality, authenticity, and the construction of identity.

Overview

The movement coalesced around a seminal 1977 exhibition titled "Pictures" at Artists Space, curated by Douglas Crimp. This show featured works by Troy Brauntuch, Jack Goldstein, Sherrie Levine, Robert Longo, and Philip Smith, setting the stage for a broader investigation into appropriation. These artists moved beyond the celebratory tone of Pop art to adopt a more analytical and deconstructive approach toward the image-saturated culture of the late 20th century. Their practices signaled a major shift toward postmodernism in the contemporary art world, challenging traditional notions of the avant-garde and the role of the artist.

Artistic Context and Influences

The Pictures Generation was deeply informed by the immediate precedents of Pop art and Conceptual art. From Andy Warhol and his Factory, they inherited an obsession with celebrity culture and commodification, while Conceptual art's emphasis on idea over object provided a critical framework. The theoretical underpinnings were significantly shaped by French theory, including the writings of Roland Barthes on the "death of the author" and Jean Baudrillard's concepts of simulacra. Key pedagogical influences came from John Baldessari at CalArts and the interdisciplinary environment of The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, where many artists like Dan Graham and Lawrence Weiner had taught.

Key Artists and Works

Central figures developed distinct but related methodologies. Cindy Sherman gained fame with her "Untitled Film Stills" series, photographing herself to mimic clichéd characters from Hollywood and film noir. Richard Prince rephotographed Marlboro cigarette advertisements to create his iconic "Cowboys" series, interrogating American mythology. Sherrie Levine famously rephotographed works by Walker Evans and Edward Weston, challenging concepts of genius and masterpiece. Barbara Kruger employed the direct address of advertising in works like "Your body is a battleground," combining text and image to critique power structures. Other pivotal contributors include Robert Longo with his "Men in the Cities" drawings, Louise Lawler with her photographs of art in context, and James Welling exploring photographic materiality.

Critical Reception and Legacy

Initial critical reception was mixed, with some dismissing the work as derivative, but it was vigorously defended by critics like Douglas Crimp and Craig Owens. Their essays in journals such as October framed the work as a crucial theoretical intervention. The movement's impact was cemented by major exhibitions at institutions like The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its legacy is profound, directly influencing the Young British Artists such as Damien Hirst and Sarah Lucas, and setting the stage for contemporary practices in appropriation art and institutional critique. The exploration of gender and identity politics by artists like Sherman and Kruger became foundational for subsequent generations.

Techniques and Media

Artists employed a diverse array of techniques centered on the appropriation and recontextualization of existing imagery. Common methods included rephotography, photo-text collage, and performance for the camera. They worked across photography, film, video art, text art, and drawing, often blending mediums. The use of black-and-white photography evoked a sense of archival authority, while large-scale color photography mimicked the spectacle of cinema and billboards. The strategic use of captioning and text overlay, as seen in the work of Jenny Holzer and Barbara Kruger, turned the rhetorical strategies of propaganda and marketing back on themselves.

Category:Contemporary art movements Category:Art movements in the United States Category:Postmodern art