Close-Up

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on January 3, 2017 at 10:05am

Curator’s Comment:

Close-up is a mild and sympathetic image that invites viewing intimacy. The charcoal powder nicely accentuates the visible weave of the paper’s surface. But only when viewing the adjacent works in the series did I realize Close-up actually represented a detail shot. The charcoal media softens and blurs the lines somewhat, making the viewer contemplate pixilation and filtering in digital media analog media. But what the image lacks in definition and range of marks, it makes up for in subtlety. The close cropping of the pictorial frame (especially in the detail) adds to the sensation of familiarity and private space. I particularly enjoy the open values in the negative space, as the smudgy dark tones appear to dissolve into the shoulder of the figure, breaching the boundary of form. The cast shadow of the head on the torso attests to the solidity of form, but as the shadows are impermanent. But taken as a while, and essentially backing up from the cropping removes some of the inherent mystery. It is a strong piece formally- but I’m glad you brought us in for the close-up.