George Tooker | |
|---|---|
 George Tooker (left) receiving the National Medal of Arts from George W. Bush in 2007 | |
| Born | August 5, 1920 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | March 27, 2011 (aged 90) Hartland, Vermont, U.S. |
| Education | Phillips Academy |
| Alma mater | Harvard University Art Students League of New York |
| Movement | Figurative art, Social realism, Surrealism Magic realism |
| Awards | National Medal of Arts |
| Elected | National Academy of Design |
George Clair Tooker, Jr. (August 5, 1920 – March 27, 2011) was an American figurative painter. His works are associated with Magic realism, Social realism, Photorealism, and Surrealism.[1][2] His subjects are depicted naturally as in a photograph, but the images use flat tones, an ambiguous perspective, and alarming juxtapositions to suggest an imagined or dreamed reality. He did not agree with the association of his work with Magic realism or Surrealism, as he said, "I am after painting reality impressed on the mind so hard that it returns as a dream, but I am not after painting dreams as such, or fantasy."[2] In 1968, he was elected to the National Academy of Design and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Tooker was one of nine recipients of the National Medal of Arts in 2007.[3]
- ^ exhibit-E.com. "George Tooker - Artists - DC Moore Gallery". www.dcmooregallery.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ^ a b Garver, Thomas H. (1992). George Tooker. New York: Chameleon Books, Inc. ISBN 9781566400695.
- ^ "George Tooker - Biography". www.rogallery.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.