Superheroes in contemporary art

Christian Charrière, Wonder woman, 2021. Oil on linen canvas, 146 x 114 cm.

What is a superhero?

According to the most general definitions, a superhero is a costumed character, and one with a secret identity, belonging to the world of comic books, fiction, cartoons or movies, who, strong, courageous and extremely noble of spirit, unreservedly strives to protect humanity against evil, which he opposes thanks to his extraordinary abilities, namely superpowers. Despite this description, universally defining what a champion of justice is always turns out to be very complicated, since, in reality, they do not have such fixed and absolute characteristics, so much so that Batman does not have superhuman powers and the Fantastic Four are public heroes. So, what can perhaps be meant by a superhero? Probably, simply a character to whom we have given the power to reassure us, as capable of solving any kind of problem. In this sense, sometimes even the plumber, that is, the only man on earth who can fix our sink, might seem to us to be a kind of everyday hero. 

Filippo Pietro Castrovinci, Batman (14), 2020. Metal sculpture, 30 x 19 x 13 cm / 16.00 kg 

Christophe Stephan Durand, Batman, arrested for not wearing a motorcycle helmet, 2021. Olio su tela, 35 x 27 cm.

Are we sure that superhero phenomenon is only a contemporary phenomenon?

It is good to highlight how, in fact, superheroes have been a part of our civilization even since before the advent of the iconic comic books of the 1930s, undisputed progenitors of the more recent action and adventure filmography on the subject. in fact, already in ancient Greece there were heroes, demigods, who, protagonists of incredible feats, found themselves in vicissitudes akin to those of the more modern Batman, Robin, or whomever. From an art historical point of view, however, it is important to highlight how, Greek heroes also often became the subjects of very famous works of art, just like Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus, an iconic bronze statue placed in the Loggia dei Lanzi, or Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Narrating briefly about the myth to which the Tuscan master's sculpture refers, Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae, was the hero who defeated Medusa, a monstrous snake-haired creature capable of turning anyone who crossed his gaze into stone. In Cellini's work, this hero has the features of Cencio, that is, a young apprentice in the artist's workshop, who, in the masterpiece, is intent on holding aloft the Gorgon's dripping head of blood.

Hadi Masoed, Superlah Superman, 2015. Acrylic /oil / pastel on canvas, 150 x 170 cm.

Evarist Marashi, My dad said to me "you are a superman"..., 2022. Oil on linen canvas, 100 x 70 cm.

Superheroes in contemporary art

As far as contemporary art is concerned, the phenomenon of superheroes, which already has great affinities with the world of figurative arts in general, since it is derived from the visual and artistic world of comic books, has enjoyed considerable success especially within Street art. In fact, precisely with regard to urban art, the artistic investigations of SEEN and ERRO are certainly noteworthy. The first artist, an American writer born in 1961, has been largely influenced by the world of comic books and cartoons, so much so that he has immortalized multiple paladins of justice, who, distinguished by their characteristic gestures, are usually placed against a background of graffiti, within which onomatopoeias with a Pop flavor also find their place. Speaking of ERRO, however, this French writer often incorporates the imagery of superheroes in his works, accompanying them also with satirical elements, which, created through the juxtaposition of contrasting cultural emblems, are meant to allude to modern chaos and confusion. In addition, it is good to make it known that many other famous writers, such as Greg Gossel, CRASH, Owen Dippie, Ben Frost, and Israeli duo Speedy Graphito, have also taken an interest in the world of paladins of justice. Therefore, a question arises: why did street artists in particular take an interest in this subject? Probably, they, as illicit artists, aimed at defying the authorities to spread their own "saving" message, often full of great "revelations," identify well with the altruistic and dangerous mission of superheroes.

Yoann Bonneville, Spiderman, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 105 x 105 cm.

Miloš Hronec, Childhood IV, 2021. Oil / acrylic / spray paint on canvas, 35 x 40 cm.

Superheroes in Artmajeur's artworks

Artmajeur's artwork collection is distinguished by a wealth of paintings, sculptures, drawings, digital works, photographs, and other media in which superheroes are the undisputed protagonists. Such thematic choice pursues multiple purposes, among which, probably the most common are: celebrating a now-historic comic book and film tradition, recounting never-before-seen adventures, imagining different and more contemporary contexts, giving voice to irony or other points of view hitherto little investigated, experimenting with particular artistic techniques, and, certainly, generating works aimed at conveying a great sense of hope, since it is precisely by thinking that there is justice, or someone who does it, that we can await the passing of the seasons with a hopeful heart. Finally, examples of the popularity of the above subject are the works of Paul Stowe, Blure, and Joe Baxxter.

Paul Stowe, Batman, 2021. Graphite / pencil on paper, 45 x 33 cm.

Paul Stowe: Batman

In the words of the artist himself, Paul Stowe's intense realist portrait is aimed at celebrating the Batman of The Dark Knight, namely the one played on the big screen by the world-famous Christian Bale. But to what is the reason for choosing this version of the superhero? Arguably, Bale's Batman is particularly interesting because he is able to convey his torments to the audience, showing himself, in a very innovative way, also vulnerable. Such frailties allow the establishment of a deeper bond between viewer and superhero, who, tormented and filled with humanity, tries to defeat, both his enemies and his inner dramas. Despite the fact that all these good qualities of Batman may set him up as a model champion of justice, a well-known contemporary writer wanted to question his saving role. In fact, in the work Game Changer, created by street artist Banksy, a child is intent on playing with a puppet of a nurse, a new superhero, who takes the place of the Spiderman and Batman dolls that ended up in the trash. The painting in question, created by the writer for the angels of the NHS, i.e., members of the British health care system, stems precisely from the idea of emphasizing how, during the pandemic, heroes have become others.

Blure, Superman x ray fluor, 2021. Acrylic / spray paint on canvas, 100 x 81 cm.

Blure: Superman x ray fluor

Blure's Superman, who is shown in all his strength, confidence and physical prowess, against a background full of graffiti and tags, is marked by a strong dynamism, given to him by the chromatic "blurring" placed at the level of his ankles, intended to allude to the superhero's rapid movement through the air. The style of realization of the painting's protagonist, largely derived from the world of comic books, contrasts strongly with a more realistic and "traditional" image of the same, namely Portrait of a man with an S on his torso by Sacha Goldberger, a well-known French photographer. The latter photograph, in addition to demonstrating the extreme popularity of Superman within the more celebrated tradition of contemporary art, also reveals to us a new kind of pride, due to the 17th-century Flemish clothes worn by the superhero, rather than his super powers.

Joe Baxxter, Spiderman love, 2021. Digital printing / silkscreen printing / digital painting on aluminum, 80 x 80 cm.

Joe Baxxter: Spiderman love

Against a background full of tags, explicit references to the consumer goods society, and an indecipherable number of superheroes superimposed on top of each other, the figure of Spider-Man stands out in a stark foreground, which, unlike the rest of the painting, leaps to the eye because of its somber chromaticism. The style of the painting combines the peculiarities of Pop art and Street art, in a language that seems to be a real kind of celebration of the strength and agility of our beloved darling. Another Spiderman "fan" turns out to be the well-known French writer Invader, who, inspired by the video games of the early 1980s, created his urban mosaic of the superhero right in the heart of Paris, managing to blend the innovation of his work with the now "classic" beauty of the Haussmannian capital.