Menu
The New Contemporary Art Magazine

The Painted Portraits of Sarah Ball

Sarah Ball's oil paintings, subtle in their complexity, are intended for the viewer to encounter the portrait's subject intimately. The practice of physiognomy, or judging the character of a person just from their facial features or expressions, has long been a subject of fascination for the artist. In efforts like her current Anima Mundi show "Themself," she culls her subjects from historic photographic archives, social media, and beyond. "These source images become a starting point for a methodical process of understanding, assumption and translation, where the aesthetic ‘mask' and what lies beneath become the focus of engagement,” the gallery says.

Sarah Ball’s oil paintings, subtle in their complexity, are intended for the viewer to encounter the portrait’s subject intimately. The practice of physiognomy, or judging the character of a person just from their facial features or expressions, has long been a subject of fascination for the artist. In efforts like her current Anima Mundi show “Themself,” she culls her subjects from historic photographic archives, social media, and beyond. “These source images become a starting point for a methodical process of understanding, assumption and translation, where the aesthetic ‘mask’ and what lies beneath become the focus of engagement,” the gallery says.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bru1N9yFD7B/

“Ball’s muses are mostly surrounded by muted backgrounds, which engender a profound sense of solitude,” a statement says. “This aspect envelopes delicately rendered passages of oil paint, perhaps detailing the protagonists clothing or hair, often giving emphasis to a defining characteristic of the sitters visual identity. These intrinsic details are captured with intensity, revealing an intimacy combined and juxtaposed with more minimalist elements which reflect a greater sense of absence or disconnect.”

Read more about the show here.Find her site here.

Meta
Share
Facebook
Reddit
Pinterest
Email
Related Articles
South African artist Ryan Hewett looks straight to the core of his subjects in boldly expressive paintings. For his upcoming exhibition "Untitled" at the Unit London, opening April 24th, Hewett depicts world leaders and influencers as we aren't used to seeing them. His portraits of President Obama, JFK, Martin Luther King, and Contemporary artists like Ai Weiwei are stripped down to the most vague details. If there is any power to be represented, it is in his gestural technique, heavily influenced by figurative painters like Frank Auerbach. By focusing on the raw human nature of his subjects, Hewett creates a non-specific portrayal that is free of judgement.
Mark Gleason’s new stirring, dreamlike oil paintings explore nocturnal and psychological themes. In a new show at La Luz De Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles, titled "Sleepless," the painter offers a new series of works that explore both broad and personal themes for the artist. The artist was last featured on HiFructose.com here.
Carl Randall captures the energy and heartbeats of London and Tokyo through his crowded paintings, each figure its own portrait of a real pedestrian in his or her respective city. Toying with perspective, his recent works also implement the architecture and skylines of the inhabited metro area.

Reza Bahmani's oil paintings, with each's distinctive texture and scale, carry a distinct intimacy. In his recent show at Saless Gallery an accompanying score that required the use of headphones further beckoned viewers to focus on the massive portraits.

Subscribe to the Hi-Fructose Mailing List