Bill Fan 2017

David Michael Hinnebusch made "Bill Fan" using bold strokes of paint and ink on paper, as if conjuring a portrait from memory. I can imagine him feeling his way through the image, one line leading to another, building up the face with an almost reckless energy. Look at that intense blue eye staring out, like a window into the soul or a flash of insight amidst the chaos. There's a real physicality to it. You can almost feel the pressure of the brush as it dragged across the surface. The paint is applied in layers, thin washes mingling with thick impasto, creating a rich, tactile surface. It makes me think of Picasso's portraits, where faces are broken apart and reassembled. For me, "Bill Fan" becomes more than just a likeness. It’s a raw, emotional expression, a conversation between the artist and his materials. Painting is a living thing, always evolving and changing.