What is Magic Realism in art?

Magic Realism in visual art refers to paintings that depict realistic scenes infused with mysterious, dreamlike, or magical elements. The term originated in 1920s German art criticism to describe post-Expressionist painters who rendered the everyday world with uncanny clarity that made ordinary scenes feel strange. In contrast to Surrealism’s explicit impossibilities, Magic Realism maintains plausible reality while suffusing it with enigmatic atmosphere. Artists like George Tooker and Andrew Wyeth created Magic Realist works with psychological intensity beneath realistic surfaces. The concept expanded in Latin American literature through writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In contemporary art, Magic Realism overlaps with Surrealism and influences artists creating uncanny, atmospheric imagery.