From Discourse to Figure. Plasticity and Mimesis in Disrupted Realism

Autori

  • Nikola Zmijarević University of Zadar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13135/2385-1945/12027

Abstract

Grounded in the philosophical discourse mainly articulated by Catherine Malabou and Nidesh Lawtoo, this study posits that the so-called Disrupted Realism, a distinct tendency within contemporary representational painting as proposed by writer and curator John Seed, and exemplified by the works of Antonio López Garcia, Jenny Saville, Alex Kanevsky, Ann Gale and others, actively embodies and interrogates the concept of plasticity in relation to mimesis, with its receptive, creative and destructive capacities manifested in the painting practices and conceptual connotations. Through their distinctive approaches to depicting the natural world, these painters not only reflect, but also expand upon the nature of plasticity — engaging in a (trans)formative process that challenges traditional notions of mimesis, representation and realism, showing them to be “plastic” concepts. This dynamic, dialectic interaction often filled with contradictions, illuminates how this type of contemporary painting, often termed “realist”, contributes to and reshapes philosophical discussions on subjectivity, identity, form, essence and transformation.

Biografia autore

Nikola Zmijarević, University of Zadar

Teaching and research assistant at the Department of Art History, University of Zadar, Croatia. Currently working on a dissertation topic “Contemporary Representational Painting in Croatia”, he is involved in philosophy of art, culture and politics, questions of identity, representation and material conditions of art production and reception.

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Pubblicato

2025-06-05

Come citare

Zmijarević N. (2025). From Discourse to Figure. Plasticity and Mimesis in Disrupted Realism. Philosophy Kitchen - Rivista Di Filosofia Contemporanea, (22), 47–60. https://doi.org/10.13135/2385-1945/12027