Gallery for New Media

Conceptual photographer Robert Heinecken (American, 1931–2006) immersed his practice in popular culture, creating a monumental body of provocative, photo-based work that critiques the aesthetics of conventional photography. Heinecken often referred to himself as a paraphotographer, given that his images were usually sourced from photographs taken by other people. Working in a cross-disciplinary approach, placing his work outside the traditional practices commonly associated with the medium, he utilized images culled from the mass media and reanimated them as collages,  prints, sculptures, and, later in his career, videos. Exploring issues around commercialism, sex, and gender, Heinecken rose to prominence in Los Angeles in the 1960s and carved a path for other artists also using appropriation as a basis of their practice, including Barbara Kruger (American, born 1945), Sherrie Levine (American, born 1947), and Richard Prince (American, born 1949). His work has also influenced a bevy of contemporary artists who source imagery from the Internet to explore questions of originality and the culture of viral, image-based memes perpetuated by Web users. 

This exhibition presented a singular, pioneering work by Heinecken. Surrealism on TV, 1986, relates to Heinecken’s earlier magazine works and other photographic pieces, and weaves together his interest in both print and broadcast media. The installation features a three-channel slideshow composed of more than two hundred images that the artist had photographed directly from 1980s television broadcasts. The images include TV tropes such as explosions on the news, animals acting like humans, and newscasters offering commentary. In Surrealism on TV, the banality of late-night channel surfing is transformed into a humorous and critical commentary on the absurdity of our all-encompassing media culture.

This exhibition was organized by Godin-Spaulding Curator & Curator for the Collection Holly E. Hughes.