Self Portrait with Eyes Closed 1991

Odd Nerdrum's self-portrait is a heavy oil painting of a man who looks like he is in the middle of a dream. I can imagine Nerdrum standing in front of the canvas, palette in hand, lost in thought. The paint is applied in thick, deliberate strokes, like he’s carving out shapes in the darkness. The palette is restrained, mostly browns, greys, and fleshy pinks, but the way he layers them creates a remarkable sense of depth and texture. There’s something about the way the light catches the brow or the curve of the cheek that feels so tender and human. The closed eyes suggest an inner world, a retreat from the harshness of reality. It reminds me a little of Rembrandt, with that same sense of searching for truth through observation. And you can see how his ideas have been carried on by contemporary painters today. Painting is this ongoing conversation. Each artist picks up where another leaves off, adding their own voice to the chorus.