Richard Serra 2004

Oliver Mark created this black and white portrait of Richard Serra, and the texture reminds me of a charcoal drawing. The image renders the passage of time on Serra’s face and the lines narrate the evolution of his creative expression. I sympathize with Serra, staring into the abyss of the photographic lens. I wonder what he was thinking when Mark created this portrait? His eyes are fixed but his expression is unreadable. His furrowed brow is the dominant line in the image and speaks to Serra’s serious commitment to his practice. It also reminds me of other portrait painters like Alice Neel, who documented the faces of New York City, rendering the presence of her subjects, capturing a moment in time. Artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.