Walker

Chuck Close, Big Self-Portrait
1967-1968
Acrylic on canvas
Walker Art Center, Art center acquisition fund, 1969
-I'm amazed that this is a painting. I draw a lot of photo-realism, but I find that painting is way more challenging when it comes to this type of detail. The size of the piece helps, but this means you need to be able to view the piece from a good distance to see the realism effect. I'm glad the painting was hung up high and there were binoculars available so it could be seen from both views. Still, I wish I could have gotten up close to see the brush strokes and the way the paint sits on the canvas.
-I find it interesting that in this self-portrait the artist looks ragged. His hair is messy, he doesn't have a shirt on, and he has a half lit cigarette-but in his mouth. It's as if he just woke up. I would expect someone to try to look attractive in a self-portrait to help promote the piece, but that is probably why he portrayed himself in such a unexpectedly realistic way. His non-commercial and almost indisposed manner crates an unusually striking image. I believe that the attention to detail and the photo-realistic quality is what makes this piece so popular. I think that the artwork that shows the artists skill in a way that can't be easily recreated is a key part in producing outstanding art.