Hanson, Duane

Hanson, Duane, 1925–96, American sculptor, b. Alexandria, Minn. A member of the superrealist movement of the late 1960s and early 70s, Hanson produced life-sized tableaux of realistic figures and props. In the 1960s these frequently depicted violent, politically charged events, such as in Vietnam Scene (1969). Many of the eerily realistic single figures for which he is best known, e.g., his 1970 works Hard Hat and Supermarket Shopper, portray familiar types of modern Americans, and employ polyester resin figures and items of real clothing and other everyday objects. His work has been praised by some for its underlying humanity or its implied satire and criticized by others for its brand of deadpan dullness.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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