MoCA LA's 'Ordinary People' exhibition reexamines photorealism's legacy through contemporary critiques

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles is hosting 'Ordinary People: Photorealism and the Work of Art Since 1968,' which will be on view until May 4, 2025. This exhibition showcases the work of 44 artists, pairing early figures such as Richard Estes and Robert Bechtle with modern artists like Catherine Murphy and Takako Yamaguchi. Initial artworks celebrated postwar consumerism, while later creations reflect themes of discomfort and labor. Highlights include Murphy's 'Bathroom Sink' (1994), Yamaguchi's 'Untitled (Skirt and Belt)' (2012–17), and Bowers's 'People Before Profits' (2012). Contemporary highlights are Daignault's 'Twenty-Six Seconds' (2024) and Gomez's '2 Spirits' (2024). Critics suggest the exhibition occasionally struggles with the topics of image manipulation and shifts in contextual meaning.