Which approach best describes the Kitchen Table series in terms of its method?

• A. Abstract expressionism
• B. Documentary realism
• C. Impressionism
• D. Dadaism

Answer: (B)

Documentary realism is at play when the work presents everyday life in a straightforward, observer’s view, without theatrical staging or symbolic excess. The Kitchen Table series uses intimate domestic scenes—people gathered around a kitchen table, engaged in ordinary conversations and activities—captured in a natural, unvarnished way. The lighting, setting, and compositions feel true to daily life, inviting viewers to read real social and personal dynamics from what is shown rather than from invented imagery or emotional theatrics. That emphasis on truthful, unembellished portrayal is what makes documentary realism the best fit for describing its method. In contrast, abstract expressionism would foreground nonrepresentational gesture, impressionism would focus on painted perception of light and momentary effects, and Dadaism would lean into absurdity and anti-art strategies, none of which align with this series’ emphasis on authentic domestic scenes.