Super Not So Super by Caleb Paullus is a photo collection of recognizable superheroes doing mundane, everyday tasks that take the glamor out of super powers. "A Look Into The Super Ordinary Lives of Superheroes" includes pictures of Batman paying bills, Wonder Woman doing the dishes, Super Girl cooking, The Flash discovering the downside of being super fast (in the sack), and Catwoman rolling a joint and playing with a ball of yarn.
Similar to the Fallen Princesses photoshoot (see related articles below), Caleb Paullus' Super Not So Super images tear apart fantasy by hurtling them into real-life modern day scenarios. Perhaps people gravitate toward this type of artwork because it lets them find comfort in knowing that no one is a superhero and no one really leads a fairytale life.
What's Driving This Trend
- Mundane Superheroes
- Bringing superheroes down to earth by depicting them performing everyday tasks that undermine their superhero image.
- Fantasy Subversion
- Exploring the unexpected intersection between fantasy and reality by recontextualizing well-known fantasy iconography.
- De-mythologizing Heroes
- Humanizing heroes by placing them in mundane situations that reveal their 'ordinary' side.
Who This Affects Most
- Photography
- Incorporating elements of subversion, parody, or cultural commentary to develop an original perspective on well-known objects of cultural fascination or trend.
- Pop Culture
- Finding new ways to reinterpret classic or established pop culture icons, and experimenting with the limitations of the medium to achieve new effects.
- Tech
- Developing sophisticated imaging and artificial intelligence technology that enables new forms of art or commentary to emerge.
