Photorealism under Goings.

Ralph Goings (1928-2016) was an American painter who was instrumental in defining the photorealist movement. He was integral in shaping this movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This movement was a style of art that included paintings, drawings, and other forms of media that involved artists attempting to duplicate a photograph as realistically as possible. Although his art was initially criticized by teachers and peers in the art field for being considered as mindless copying, it eventually became an accepted form of art. Goings defended his art by explaining the paintings to be about the lighting and how certain things looked in their environment when they were painted. Ralph Going worked alongside photorealists like Robert Bechtle, Audrey Flack, Robert Cottingham, and Don Eddy to popularize photorealism.

Goings’s realistic art was shaped by his experience growing up during the Great Depression. His depiction of everyday life showed the struggles families such as his own faced. He mainly used watercolors and oil paintings as a medium to show classic American subjects, including gas stations, pick-up trucks, and diners. Ralph Goings shows these everyday subjects to show the importance of focusing on the small things in life rather than emphasizing the profane and philosophical.

Photorealism was a movement influenced by Pop art, which was popular in the 1950 and as a reaction against abstract expressionism. It is also often associated with trompe-l’oeil, a genre of paintings meant to trick people into thinking that the painting is an actual object. However, photorealism is not meant to fool people, and the viewer is always aware the art is a painting.

One of Goings’s first paintings includes “American Salad” (1966), which was still largely influenced by pop art with bright colors, airbrushed-styled faces, images of daily life, and collage-like images. Goings also seems to show political commentary in “American Salad.” He shows the contrast of objects that represent the American Dream, such as the beaming white-toothed smile of an American, and healthy foods such as the tomato with those of war and violence.

Ralph Goings is also famous for a painting he created in 1970 titled “McDonald’s Pickup.” This painting shows iconic aspects of American life that are not typically celebrated as art pieces. The pickup truck in the painting is also a visual of the driving lifestyle of America. It represents land, space, and freedom.

Not only did Goings paint landscapes, but he also painted close-up images, and he created “Two Shakers Close-Up” in 1991. This painting is of a traditional salt and pepper shaker that can be found in any American diner. It is placed in front of a metal napkin holder and plays with the reflection of light. It is also interesting that the photographer, viewer, or painter peering into the scene is not included in the reflection of the metal napkin holder. Ralph Goings was a skillful artist who played an integral part in developing the photorealist movement. His artistic innovations and unique subject matters were impactful to the art world.