THE SELF-ISOLATION RESIDENCY 25th FEBRUARY 2021: DAY 333

"Hello old friends, it's been a while..."

19, 20, 21: Finding a reason to paint, in search of the sublime. 25th February 2021.
Part 36: 'Interpretation, abstraction, illusion.
An Unsettling Appeal: Insearch of the Sublime.

As there is no extended context included within the package of the traditional sculptural form any information which the artist wishes to convey regarding the subject of their portrait needs to be contained, or more appropriately, attached to the parcel thus it may accordingly, all, be delivered en masse. When a painter contemplates the delivery options, re the same portrait subject, including their requisite baggage, there are different possibilities which they must consider.  

Obviously, the first of these is the necessity to perform the required commission in a two-dimensional rather than three-dimensional form, which, unless you are Pablo Picasso, means selecting the one perspective through which your vision will be expressed. More often than not, this will result in the painter selecting an anterior interpretation of the subject to embrace all the characterisational possibilities which are made available to them via the expressionistic qualities embodied in their subject’s face and hands. In addition to the fundamental personality expressed by this, the subject’s essential visage, comes the possibility of supplementary data, which might also comment upon the personality of the subject in question. This information may be transmitted via the optional inclusion of details or fashionable flourishes chosen to be worn by the subject of the portrait for the purpose of the sitting in regard to their personal standing and or ego. These embellishments to the subject’s aspect are usually, predominantly, located on the front of their attire to correspond with the subject’s primary countenance and are therefore another consideration in the artists choice of perspective. These accoutrements may include items such as buckles, buttons, clasps, medals, pockets and zippers, in addition to the more basic structure of colours and shapes exhibited by their garments. These trappings can convey a great deal about the sitter, as long as their proper context, vis-à-vis history and the vision of the artist, is embraced by the observer.

To be continued...