Young Man 1992

John Currin painted this portrait of a Young Man, we aren't told when, using oil on canvas. Look at the smooth surface, and how the different tones of blues, greens and fleshy pinks are blended softly. The process is about an old fashioned idea of 'finish', of making a surface slick, like a photograph, so the making is partially hidden from view. It's funny how the 'finish' meets this slightly awkward, anxious looking character in a way that makes us question what we think about painting. The hair is quite clumpy, almost cartoonish. The background looks like it might have been quickly brushed. The meeting of these qualities together makes a really interesting experience. Currin reminds me of artists like Lisa Yuskavage who also play with a polished, seductive surface in combination with a weird psychology. It's never just one thing, is it?