The first blog entry of a New Year feels like a responsibility. What could possibly be the angle for seeing in a year after the all that has gone on in the last one? In art terms? After a little thought, I looked to the Romans. & looking is ultimately the theme of today’s blog, specifically forwards & backwards.
January was named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, responsible for transitions, gateways, doors, beginnings & endings. This also encompassed birth & travel, war & peace. He controlled these things whether in a figurative or literal sense. Plus, he gives us the word “janitor.” I think we’re all thankful for those.
Although it's only a number & not really meaningful, as we turn away from an appalling year globally (& personally), we all look hopefully towards the coming year, albeit with a great deal of trepidation. Perhaps this is happening more than in other years – at least on social media it seems that way.
In the spirit of Janus & his forward & backward-looking ways, I’ve selected & paired works with figures that either look towards the artist & viewer & ones that turn away. Throughout art history, even something as seemingly simple as this has been seen as a device to represent (amongst other concepts) challenge, isolation & an interior life, things we’ve all had to get used to in recent times.
Domenico Grenci, Untitled Collage, 2010
Sabine Liebchen (Germany, 1960-), o.T (blue monday) (2021)
Sabine Liebchen often paints women turned away from us in a precise & accomplished style. Her expert use of light creates a startling illusion of reality & she purposely avoids stereotypical images of women & art traditions. We don’t get to see the context in which her women appear – she paints flat single-colour backgrounds & our own eye & imagination get to fill in the rest.
Amy Sherald (USA, 1973-), Grand Dame Queenie (2013)
Amy Sherald too often paints her figures against a monochromatic background, devoid of settings. Grand Dame Queenie has minimal background detail in the form of patterning but the subject stares us down as she lifts her teacup. What’s interesting about Sherald’s depictions of her subjects is the greyscale she uses to paint black skin. Her explanation for this:
First & foremost, it looks cool. Grey makes the paintings work. But it’s also a way for me to subversively comment about race without feeling as though I’m excluding the viewer.
Vilhelm Hammershøi (Denmark, 1864-1916) Interior with Young Woman Seen from the Back (1904)
He’s the king of empty rooms & turned backs. Many of his paintings depict a stillness too, but here we see the woman moving as if she’s about to go elsewhere. Her head is slightly blurred to show this movement. Hammershøi, like Vermeer rarely offers a straight narrative, but it’s easy for us to project our own accounts on to both artists’ works.
Domenico Grenci (Italy, 1981-), Camille (2018)
& there are definite shades of Vermeer in Grenci’s Camille. The woman turns to face us, perhaps more defiantly than Vermeer’s earringed portrait. Once more, he’s an artist that rejects placing the figure in context & focuses on capturing the essence of the sitter. In his works, this has the effect of almost spectral or fleeting snapshots of the subject.
James Ensor (Belgium, 1860-1949), Figure Study: Man Turning His Back (1878-79)
This study is different from Ensor’s more well-known grim creations. Here, we see a proper life painting study where the figure is facing away from us. Although it’s sketchy & unfinished - from the waist up especially - it’s very sensitively rendered. I wonder whether that raised hand one day made it into a painting & if so, whether it was to wave or to wield.
Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, modern-day Belgium, 1577-1640), The Honeysuckle Bower (1609)
There are some lovely “couple” paintings in art history & this is particularly lovely as it depicts the artist & his new wife. Not only are they looking towards us with happiness & confidence, they are looking forward to their life together with the same optimism. Honeysuckle traditionally represents love & their clasped hands represent marriage.
Salvator Rosa (Italy, 1615-1673), Figures’ Series: Standing soldier with back turned (c. 1656-57?)
Best known for his dark & atmospheric landscapes & history paintings. He was known as a flamboyant character, not only an artist but also a writer & actor. Although his paintings reflect this extravagant nature, his drawings of soldiers such as this show sensitivity & a wonderful eye for detail. I can’t make up my mind whether he’s walking away or walking towards.
Andrea del Sarto (Italy, 1486-1530), Portrait of a Man (1517-18)
The name “del Sarto” comes from his father’s profession as a tailor & Andrea was successful as an artist in his day. His figure in this work - sometimes referred to as a sculptor - seems mildly irritated to have been disturbed by the artist as he turns around; this lends the pose & facial expression a relaxed, naturalistic & believable air, particularly unusual for its time.
Shikeith (USA, 1989-), Still from “#Blackmendream” (2014)
Shikeith’s fascinating film explores the reality behind the stereotypes of how the masculinity, emotions & interior lives of black men are frequently described & portrayed. The men with their backs to the camera are often unclothed; there are layers upon layers of symbolism & meaning in such as short space of time. It’s something to inspire us as we step into the unknown. You can see the film here, although you may need to sign in via Google:
Willie Hsu (?), Title Unknown (c. 2019?)
Hsu is also a prolific tattoo designer, but his “trapped figures” set him apart in terms of style & ideas. They look as if they might be behind frosted glass or standing outdoors in the fog. He portrays humans as well as animals with pencil, pen or chalk in this way, where they appear as three-dimensional bodies reaching off the page. The images raise questions about “the Veil” between life & death & as Hsu himself says, the afterlife. He describes art as “the one true voice I have to tell my story.”
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