Jim Yong Kim, President of Dartmouth College 2012

Here we see Nelson Shanks's portrait of Jim Yong Kim, painted with oil on canvas, in a style which evokes tradition. I can imagine Shanks standing before the canvas, layering brushstroke upon brushstroke, working in the style of representational painting that was his signature. The surface is smooth, carefully worked. The color palette is restrained and natural, built up from earth tones. The subject stands with a collection of papers, looking out of the window, perhaps contemplating the future of the college. Shanks seems to be in conversation with a long lineage of portrait painters. There's a real skill in capturing a likeness while also suggesting something about the person's character or role. It's something that portrait painters have been wrestling with for centuries. Ultimately, paintings become a site of inquiry for both the artist and the viewer. They hold a space for asking questions, exploring ideas, and experiencing the world in new ways.