Self Portrait with Eyes Closed 1991

Odd Nerdrum made this self portrait with eyes closed, likely with oil on canvas, though the exact date is unknown. The colour palette is muted, browns and greys, and Nerdrum seems to embrace the process of artmaking, leaving brushstrokes visible and the texture palpable. I see the material aspects of the work so clearly. The paint is applied with a heavy hand, creating a rough surface. There's a physicality to the medium that's hard to ignore. Look at the area around the mouth. The paint is built up in layers, giving the impression of depth and volume. It's like Nerdrum is trying to capture not just the appearance of his face, but the feeling of being inside his own skin. Like Lucien Freud, Nerdrum embraces ambiguity, inviting us to question what we think we know about portraiture.