The word ‘magic realism’ was first coined by a German art critic named Franz Roh in 1925 in his book Nach-Expressionismus. The most distinctive feature of magic realism is that it consists of two contrasting worlds or perspective, one belonging to the real world with a rational view and the other world based on supernatural. Magic realism is different from fantasy because in magic realism the background in set in a normal and real world with authentic descriptions of the human beings. Time existed in a kind of timeless fluidity and the unreal happened to be a part of reality

In the field of fine Art, Magic realism was developed in America by Artists like Alex Covey, Ivan Albright, Philip Evergood and George Tooker. It became one of the dominant art forms between 1920-1950.

Magic Realism in Art also brought within its fold the Art of the emerging Gay Community as in the paintings of Paul Cadmus and others.

Unlike Surreal or Pseudoreal Art, Magic real Art does not depend on the realistic portrayal of the figures and does not give any importance to the three-dimensional aspects of reality. the sole purpose of Magic real Art, is to depict the realm of fantasy. While the surrealists give due importance to realistic techniques of Art, and Pseudo realists depict three dimensional aspects of reality faithfully, Magic realists do not do so. 

In this painting by Wallace Ankten, the erotic fantasy of the mind is portrayed without recourse to realism

Also read on ..

Magic Real Art     Pseudoreal Art      Surreal Art

Film-making and pseudorealism      Films of Aparna Sen       Films of Satyajit Ray     Films of Mrinal Sen     Films of G Aravindan    Films of Guru Dutt    Films of Raj Kapoor    Films of Shyam Benegal

Magic Realist Literature         Pseudorealism and Indian Literature 

Pseudorealism and Global politicking