Janet/Pulp (Primary Title)
Chuck Close, American, 1940 - 2021 (Artist)
"I make portraits because I care more about people than anything else. I want you to care about them, and care about the image." —Chuck Close
Close’s career-long subject is the human face, most often of a friend or family member. This portrait of fellow artist Janet Fish captures some of her painting style, which is sometimes described as painterly realism. Unlike the subject’s own lush, saturated images, however, Janet/ Pulp is devoid of color. Using a stencil, Close deposited large areas of dyed pulp in various shades of gray and then pressed them to form a single sheet of paper. The grainy surface of the paper contrasts with alternating light and shade across the surface of Fish’s face, recalling the sparkling play of lightin her own still lifes.
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