Self-Portrait 1982

Ivan Albright made this unnamed self-portrait, probably in oil, at some point in his career. It's like looking at a face carved out of paint, each stroke a chisel mark, digging deeper into the reality of aging. The texture is really what grabs you, isn't it? Thick layers, built up like sediment over time. The colors, too, are earthy – ochres, browns, and grays – mirroring the lines and weariness of the face. Check out the way the light catches the forehead and cheekbones, almost sculpting them. And those eyes, they’re looking right at you, holding a lifetime of stories. Albright wasn’t afraid to confront the physical realities of aging. You see it in other portraits, too, this unflinching gaze. Maybe it's a bit like Rembrandt, but with a rawness that's all Albright's own. It reminds me that art is a conversation that crosses time, and it's never really finished, is it?