From Discourse to Figure. Plasticity and Mimesis in Disrupted Realism

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.