Duane Hanson

"Duane Hanson (1925-1996) was a significant American sculptor known for his hyper-realistic figures. Raised on a Minnesota farm, Hanson was proud of his family's solid middle-class values. His first realistic sculptures were produced in the turbulent years of the 1960s and reflected the social and political climate of the era. By 1970, Hanson had developed his mature style of portraying American "types" - common people whom we encounter everyday such as shoppers, tourists, children, workers, and businessmen.". "Along with American artists George Segal, Edward Kienholz, and John De Andrea, Hanson influenced the current rage in hyper-realistic figuration as seen in works by artists such as Dinos and Jake Chapman, Charles Ray, and Vanessa Beecroft. Hanson's sculptures have helped lead the way to the development of the late 20th-century art movement first identified as Mannequin Art and associated with artists like Paul McCarthy and John Miller, among others.". "Written to accompany the exhibition, this catalog discusses Hanson's artistic developments, his sculptures dating between 1976 and 1995, and his contribution to American art."--BOOK JACKET.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.