Barely Visible Portraits: Part 2

Paintings, Projects

Van Duyne

Van Duyne 1973
Ink on Canvas
60 x 48 inches
Collection of the artist

John Fekner Exhibition Statement

Following statement was written on the occasion of the first solo exhibition at Hundred Acres Gallery, Soho NY October 1974

“In our world, human and natural forms built up of small atoms, are constantly changing within their own life span. The small marks that I make are my atoms and they are quite constant. However, when a viewer focuses in on the marks, they might begin to blend, scatter and change depending on your own perceptual abilities. The humanness in these pictures exists in their unsteady and anxious quality that comes off each canvas. The fact of changing before your eyes, or seeing just what you are able to see, is the way I want the picture to affect the viewer.

Some of the people I portray are universally known; others are known personally to me. These facts should not affect the viewing of these portraits, for they are to exist like the fleeting images of dreams and memories; sometimes to be seen, or sometimes not to be seen or even forgotten. Just as we are not able to make time standstill, these pictures exist for a period of time like all our experiences that have their limited existence in time and then become a part of each of our own past.

For most people, photographs are the best way of seeing and reliving occurrences of the past; however photographs never achieve the vividness and brilliancy of the actual event. Photographs present images of the past as if they still exist in our present reality; whereas I try to show a glimpse of reality that has since passed, and is lodged somewhere in the back of our mind. A photograph looks as realistic as its’ own properties allow. I build up my pictures by taking away from the image that which the photograph tries to make more believable: the reality that previously existed.”  -John Fekner

Joseph Staying Alive Sciallis
Joseph Staying Alive Sciallis 1973
Ink on Canvas
60 x 48 inches
Collection of the artist

Sandy Kopell 22 Park Place
Sandy Kopell 22 Park Place
1973
Ink on Canvas
60 x 50 inches
Collection of the artist

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Barely Visible Portraits: Part 1
Barely Visible Portraits: Part 3

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