To this day, contemporary artists who paint tightly- rendered, detailed depictions of recognizable imagery, such as still lifes, interior scenes and landscapes await the assignment of an appropriate label for their Fine Art. Like Armageddon, that day has not yet arrived, and in the meantime, a variety of labels must suffice to distinguish the unique creations

of these representational artists from that of abstract and installation artists. Those labels are: Realism, Super-Realism, Photo-Realism, Magic Realism, Representational Painting and Hyper-Realism.
   Highly-crafted, original expressions of recognizable imagery in art, be it genre painting, figurative portraits or monumental landscapes, have a long history in America. Our Founding Fathers, who were products of the Age of Enlightenment, set the tone in this new land--one that still holds true today. A sense of pragmatism, logical reasoning, and puritanical simplicity has defined America. Since the founding of this country, the American public has loved what it knows to be real, can sense, feel and identify. Talented artists who are true to their calling feel compelled to create works of art that reflect the society in which they live.
   America has a long list of great artists whose realistic style distinguished them from their European contemporaries. For example, John Singleton Copley's starkly-clean, detailed portraits set his paintings apart from the more romantic, idealized 18th century creations of his European contemporaries. A century later, the Hudson River School's dramatic, straight-forward sunsets sharp contrasted the more loosely-rendered French Impressionist landscapes and fussy Victorian Pre-Raphaelite figures. All are great statements in art, true to the character of their respective countries of their time.

   A change occurred in the mid 20th century. During World War II, many European artists, unable to practice their art in Europe, flocked to the Unted States. When America emerged as the victor in that war, a movement alien to America's heritage took hold--Modernism. The proponents of Modernism railed against craft in art, recognizable imagery and past traditions. The Age of Abstract Art had begun: an age when idea was more important than execution, at a time when

drawing and technique were no longer taught in art schools, an era when artists were told to go into their studios and just create, a cultural revolution when artists were finally freed from the shackles of past academic traditions. But if artisrs were no longer taught the mechanics of their talent, how were they to create, i.e. successfully express themselves? Modernism solidly held sway in this country from the 1950's until recently. It took many forms and many isms--Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, Post Modernism, Abstractionism, Conceptionalism--but always the overall look was fundamentally the same, abstract imagery. In this climate, craftsmanship became a "lost art," and Representational painters, no longer honored, were either forced underground or changed their style.
   Says Realist art dealer, Sherry French, "When I first came to New York in 1975, the city's art galleries were awash in abstract painting. Minimalism was in its hey-day and I found it totally devoid of emotion. Having come from a small, woman's college where my art history training ended at 1950, we never studied Modernism. My personal tastes leaned toward more classical art that honored the traditions of former generations. The closest art I found to this was what, at that time, was called "New Image Painters", artists who floated recognizable images throughout an abstract space. And so I bought the art work of artists such as Bryan Hunt and Lois Lane. They satisfied my craving for art until I discovered the art work of more realistic painters who,

unable to make a living at their "taboo" art, worked quietly at home in their spare time between a 9-5 job."
   Ms. French continues, "In 1983, I opened my art gallery just to exhibit these "forgotten "Representational painters and sculptors. I hung up my sign right in the middle of New York's art center, on 57th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and right in the midst of the Age of Abstractionism.

There were less than a handful of galleries showing recognizable imagery and even fewer showed it exclusively, year-round."
   The American public never left its roots: they have always loved Representational painting. Quietly, they continued to collect realistic art works. Thereby, little by little, Realism once again became a recognized art current within America's contemporary culture--so much so that the 1990's has been labeled the Age of Pluralism because Realism now shares the stage with Abstractionism.
   Another change occurred at the end of the 20th century. New York's art center gravitated to the Chelsea warehouse district. Says Ms. French, "I think I have come full circle. Having relocated from midtown to trendy Chelsea, I find that here on 26th Street, my gallery is once again surrounded by abstract and conceptual galleries, just like in the early 1980's. But I have faith in the American public. They have never deviated from their love of what is real and remain true to their inner spirit. I trust that, in years to come more representational galleries will open in Chelsea, like they did previously in midtown Manhattan."