Representational & figurative art

New Figuration & Figurative Art at Inspire-ART

Inspire figurative moments

The term figurative art describes the styles of contemporary visual art in which people and things are recognisably depicted. In its immediately comprehensible motifs, it presents landscapes, people, animals or even interior or city depictions. In this context, we often also speak of representational depictions. Learn more about this art form and its various forms below.

Figurative art: representational art in contrast to abstract art

Figurative art stands in stark contrast to abstract art or concrete or constructive art.

After the end of the war in 1945 and in the years that followed, the latter were regarded as a new and internationally understandable artistic language, even as a symbol of international understanding and freedom. Figurative painting, on the other hand, was considered backward, conservative or even reactionary. The reason for this rejection, which was particularly pronounced in Germany, was National Socialism with its promotion of realism and the denunciation of "degenerate" non-objective art.

Nevertheless, artists also devoted themselves to figuration in the 1950s and 1960s. This gave rise to the so-called New Figuration as a form of modern painting that turned away from abstraction.

 

New Figuration: Figurative Art Rediscovered & Reinterpreted

New Figuration functions as a collective term for figurative painting after the end of the Second World War; it includes figurative painting with abstract influences as well as the rediscovery and reinterpretation of realistic elements. Its name comes from a book of the same name by the painter and critic Hans Platschek. As already mentioned, the movement was also influenced by pre-war styles. English Kitchen Sink Realism, for example, cites Neo-Saxon Verism, while Fantastic Realism refers to Surrealism. Artists who have had a decisive influence on the new figuration in painting include Richard Lindner (USA), HAP Grieshaber (Federal Republic of Germany) and Franz Ringel and Peter Pongratz (both Austria).

Illustration: Painting "Buhhh", 100 x 40 cm, other shop works figurative by Peggy Berger

Art forms since the 60s: Pop Art, New Wild and New Image

From the 1960s onwards, new styles such as Pop Art, Narrative Figuration and Critical Realism developed. Representational art was now more and more inspired by and interacted with gestural abstraction, which formed the basis for the Neo-Expressionism of the 1980s.

 

This era was shaped by the "New Wild Ones" such as Salomé, Jiří "Georg" Dokoupil or Rainer Fetting as well as the "New Image Painting" of Susan Rothenberg, Julian Schnabel and David Salle. By the turn of the millennium at the latest, figuration had re-established itself in the canon of contemporary art alongside abstract and modern painting. Its hallmark is the search for representationalism, but without falling back into the past, instead characterised by a critical realism. This, in turn, is understood as an epistemological position that is based on the assumption that a real world exists that corresponds to a visual sensory perception, but that, in contrast to naïve realism, it does not readily convey how far it corresponds to the experiences arising from the human condition.

Illustration: Paintings of representational abstraction - representational works by L.Morgenstern	Picture: Figurative artwork in watercolour technique "Sunflowers" by A.Basta

 

Contemporary representational art: the works of our artists' collective

The figurative art of the artists in our collective takes up these influences, creates something new from them and in doing so draws appealing parallels both to the abstract and to other stylistic forms. These unique pieces create a field of tension that stimulates and challenges the recipient, opens up room for interpretation and in this way effectively sets accents - in the four walls of the home as well as in offices, business premises, law firms or practices.

Steinacher: "Boats", 70x50cm	"Stranded goods II" by U.Rendle,  40x40cm	Niehoff "Bowl with jug", 120x100cm	"Poppy III" by Conny Niehoff, 70x70cm

 

In the gallery in Dresden you can explore many different styles. Informal art, neo-expressionism, contemporary art, modern art as well as contemporary representations comprise the multifaceted portfolio of the Dresden art gallery Inspire Art. Thus, representational art or also object painting is only one part of the diverse offer, alongside figuration. Hand-painted Modern Art paintings can be figurative, abstract Contemporary Art paintings also reflect the interesting works of Modern Art canvas paintings. As a gallery for modern art, it is our claim to support you in your search on the extensive shop page. Are you looking for unique works of representational art in the online shop? The shop search is clearly laid out and thanks to extensive filter properties you will quickly recognise the representational works that suit you. Simply edit the filter properties according to your preferences. All studio artists create and work on abstract sculptures or modern paintings also in the areas of representational and figurative paintings. In the Duden deutsch english translate the work titles if necessary.

 

Discover versatile representational art in the Inspire-Art gallery and find your favourite piece!