Backyard Pears 2020

Curator: Let’s discuss "Backyard Pears," an oil painting created by Scott Fraser in 2020. What's your immediate take on this composition? Editor: It's funny; it gives me such a quiet, domestic vibe. The muted colors and casual arrangement of the pears almost feels like a little still life someone threw together on their kitchen counter. Sort of like a snippet of real life caught in paint, which makes me feel as if I've stepped in an Edward Hopper painting with natural elements instead of alienated people in cafes. Curator: I think that reading certainly lines up with a key element in Fraser's work—his contemporary spin on traditional still life and realism, playing with this idea of everyday life. His style fits into this broader context of the return to realism in the 21st century art world. We're seeing artists grapple with hyperrealism while also questioning its place in a world saturated with digital images. What function does hyperrealism play when cameras surround us? Editor: Exactly. I think Fraser cleverly hints that these pears, plucked right from the backyard, aren’t so different from digital renderings of objects. The incredible detail almost removes the hand of the artist, making them resemble flawless digital simulations of hyperrealistic nature. Does that make sense? I think that element is very important. It is an almost unsettling beauty to how perfect these pears are. Curator: Absolutely, Scott Fraser does give a strong message with "Backyard Pears." I wonder how the piece participates in the complex dance between the artist's vision, the painting’s cultural value, and the spectator's interpretation. I agree with the notion that there is a sense of disquiet and almost artificial presence of the objects in this painting. The social context might encourage skepticism about what appears "real." How can we see value in a simulated reality, for lack of a better description? Editor: Right! I’m really getting caught up on what reality and nature actually *mean* in an artwork, like is he messing with my ideas about what’s "real". It makes my mind buzz, Curator! Thank you! Curator: And thanks to you; reflecting on this makes me more deeply appreciative of both Fraser’s technical mastery and his role in pushing forward current dialogues around modern art and realism today!