Chuck Close developed a signature method of creating large-scale portraits by meticulously transferring images from a gridded photograph onto massive canvases, cell by cell. This systematic approach forced a departure from traditional brushwork, evolving over decades into complex, multi-colored mosaics that only resolve into coherent human faces when viewed from a distance.
Academic Foundations and Early Influences
Born in Monroe in 1941, Close pursued an extensive education before establishing himself as a significant figure in contemporary art. His academic path included Everett High School, Everett Community College, and the University of Washington. By 1964, he had earned an MFA from the Yale School of Art. A Fulbright grant later enabled him to study at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, further shaping his technical discipline. His early exposure to the work of Jackson Pollock proved instrumental, shifting his artistic focus toward experimental and non-traditional painting techniques.
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In 1967, Close made a conscious decision to abandon the paintbrush, seeking to challenge his own abilities and force an artistic breakthrough. He experimented with various tools, including airbrushes, razor blades, and erasers mounted on power drills. His process relied on a strict grid system, allowing him to build images by filling individual squares with precise strokes. This labor-intensive practice facilitated the creation of varied works using media such as graphite, watercolor, pastel, ink, and handmade paper collage. These techniques eventually influenced the development of modern inkjet printing technology.
Portraiture and the Grid
Close became widely associated with photorealism, though he categorized his primary interest as mark-making rather than simple reproduction. His extensive series of portraits often featured family members and fellow artists, such as the widely recognized depiction of Philip Glass. He frequently noted that a personal struggle with prosopagnosia, or face blindness, influenced his long-term dedication to portraiture. By focusing on the structural details of individual faces, he found a way to bridge the gap between abstract construction and figurative representation.
Career Longevity and Adaptation
Following a medical crisis in 1988 caused by an occlusion of the anterior spinal artery, Close lived with paralysis. He adapted his working methods to accommodate his physical condition, continuing his prolific output as a painter, photographer, printmaker, and collagist. His professional life spanned various cities, including Seattle, New Haven, Amherst, and New York City. Throughout his career, he served as an educator at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and received honors including the Rome Prize and the National Medal of Arts.
Fast facts
- Born: 1941, Monroe
- Died: 2021, Oceanside
- Primary Fields: Painting, Photography, Printmaking
- Notable Work: Subway Portraits
- Education: Yale School of Art, University of Washington
- Awards: Rome Prize, National Medal of Arts
- Professional Membership: American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Movement: Contemporary Art
Questions readers ask
Why did Chuck Close focus on painting faces?
Close suggested that his struggle with prosopagnosia, or face blindness, gave him an urgent, practical motivation to repeatedly document and study the human face.
What was the significance of the grid in his work?
The grid allowed him to break down photographs into manageable cells, which he then filled with rings of color or grayscale to create an image that appeared coherent only from a distance.
Achievements
- Rome Prize
- National Medal of Arts
- Notable work: Subway Portraits
- Movement: contemporary art
