Dallas, Texas based artist Michael Reeder paints eclectic portraits that explore ideas about identity. Reeder is fascinated by the various characteristics that define us, and his works mix those elements both stylistically and conceptually. While his main interest is modern identity, the figures he portrays often have a classical quality. He renders their faces as if he were chiseling away at marble, redefined with abstract and exaggerated features with blank eyes (ancient statue eyes were painted or inlaid.) His portraits aren’t meant to be accurate representations. Rather, he considers portraiture to be more like a reinvention of his subjects, which takes place at their simplest form. Reeder relies on visual cues to characterize his subjects. For instance, some images are spliced in half with color or lines to imply the feeling of being torn. Other times, these juxtaposing ideas, palettes, and compositions are a play on dimension and style. Like his creative combinations, our personalities are the result of many facets and experiences that create a whole.
