When the art world had reached the conclusion that portraiture as a style of painting had played itself out, Chuck Close’s endeavors were consequently seen as antiquated. How to breathe new life into a genre that’s been a staple of every aspiring artist while still making the act of renewal to be more than just a singular effort in that direction? Chuck Close did it, mostly, in that he now regularly creates portraits based on a painstakingly arranged photograph that is then broken down into tiny segments which are then recreated with an abstract form. The resulting portraits have an unmistakable flair and it has become the style for which Chuck Close is famous, and this documentary charts, through a series of peer recounting, the steps that led up to Chuck’s revolutionary method.
Before the film delves too far into Close’s methodology, it gives a brief biography as offered by both him and those he knew during his time at college, in grad school, and while working as an art teacher. Like any artist he found that his art as a primary income didn’t cut it in his early years and so the teaching job took front and center. And, as many artists will tell you, it’s hard to find a balance where the day job doesn’t relegate the art for which the artist lives into little more than just a hobby. Close came to realize his teaching was interceding upon the time he spent actually creating art and so eventually he committed full-time to his craft, and that’s when he found his breakthrough style.
Since then his use of hyperrealistic photographs to create abstracted portraits has undergone a variety of experimental stages, the variables typically being the material used to create the shapes that ultimately combine to create a cohesive form. The subjects of his portraits began with fellow artists (and still include them to this day), but now the circle has expanded to include all manner of people from famous actors to other figures of notable import, usually those with striking facial features. Among them are Bill Clinton, Chuck’s wife Leslie, Willen Dafoe, Nancy Graves, Philip Glass, Kate Moss, Christopher Plummer, and Brad Pitt. While the people and materials change, the style remains visually gripping.
The film offers plenty of insight into Chuck Close’s mind and method as the artist puts in plenty of screen time describing his vision and walking the casual observer through what he hopes to achieve with each and every work. Hearing Chuck Close talk candidly about “The Event” (a seizure which left him paralyzed from the neck down and wheelchair-bound in 1988) and its effect more on his mentality than his actual style is quite interesting, His style predates his affliction, leaving his subjects and the materials used as the aspects which his limited mobility affect. Hindered dexterity means his shapes aren’t as meticulous and that he doesn’t use fine materials to recreate portraits too often – but the works produced are no less impressive because of it.
The footage for this film was collected by the late Marion Cajori, and it’s fair to say she did a service to anyone curious about Chuck Close and his work. Consider it your Chuck Close 101 course and make sure to follow it up with a visit to your local museum of modern art, where some of his work is undoubtedly on display (after all, he is one of the most prominent painters of the modern era).
DVD Bonus Features
There isn’t anything else on the disc, not surprising considering filmmaker Cajori died before it could be completed. However it would have been nice to see some of the footage that didn’t make it off of editor Ken Kobland’s cutting room floor. Then again, the man is still alive, there’s plenty of room for follow-up or (knock on wood) retrospective sometime in the future.
"Chuck Close" is on sale August 24, 2010 and is not rated. Documentary. Directed by Marion Cajori. Starring Chuck Close, Robert Storr, Brice Marden, Philip Glass, Kiki Smith, Alex Katz.
