Kiki
Chuck Close
Oil on canvas, 1993
100’’(8.3 ft) X 84.125’’(7.01 ft)
Chuck Close’s “Kiki” is one of many in the Walker art centers permanent collection, however it succeeds in stealing all of my attention, every time I walk by. Close’s work consists mostly of large-scale portraits of himself, as well as his friends and family. His paintings are almost always broken down into grids (although the grids are not always visible in the finished product) and Kiki does an excellent job of demonstrating his technique. His depictions are exceptionally accurate, causing his work to generally fall under the category of realism. However, Close’s work is more then that, when examined it becomes evident that his paintings are not simply enlargements of photographs, Kiki in particular is much more stylistic. From far away her face is as clear as day, But as you get closer you begin to understand the extent of the artist’s proficiency. Standing just a few feet away from this 8 and ½ by 7 foot tall portrait, her facial features have disappeared, and Kiki is unrecognizable. The piece is broken down into a grid, and within each section there is an abstract target-like shape with rings of multiple colors. I am truly amazed by this system; Close has managed to harmoniously combine realism and abstraction in a unique and down right brilliant way. Despite the fact that his subject matter is fairly simple, His passion is evident through his style and the magnificence of his work, giving it a strong but somewhat indecipherable emotive quality. This ability to create emotions in a realistic manner is somewhat reminiscent of impressionism. Although Close’s paintings are ideal examples of realism, in describing them I fear that this term could have an undeserved negative connotation. Close’s Kiki is not simply an accurate depiction of a young woman (although he does do this remarkably well) It presents incredible skill and commitment, and combines two completely different approaches to portraying the human face, leaving the viewer utterly speechless. It is a masterpiece in every aspect of the word.
Nice post. You make a great point about the tension between the realism and abstraction here. This leads me to wonder: do you really think Close's work is "expressive"? Do these works create or express emotions? As you point out, they are often created with this same systematic approach. It seems to me that Close's concerns may be more formal (about the challenge of creating the abstract in the realistic, or the real from the abstract) than they are about commenting on the people depicted.
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