GRAPHICAL is my entry to the 2007 Notte Bianca art exhibition. I was invited to produce a painting for the Sekwenza portrait section, hosted at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.

I must admit that I was quite skeptic on painting a person I have never met. My preoccupation was to fill the canvas with a dynamic but balanced composition and initially opted for a traditional way of faithfully reproducing the flesh tones through saturated gradients. However, overcome by enthusiasm; my arm took over and started dictating the brushstrokes until I ended with something completely different to what I had originally planned. At this point, I decided to abandon the incomplete painting and work on other canvases.

A full month later, the much meditated bold black lines were added with the intent of stressing the bone structure of the face. I wanted my work to look theatrical, bridging between pop and classical, whilst incorporating obvious influences from comic art.

I am happy with the outcome but have no idea if I succeeded in capturing the likeness and character of this 'phantom sitter'!

Keith Balzan

 

Related Paintings: DAVID 2