What’s different about Alice is that she has the most incisive way of telling the truth 2017

Amy Sherald made this painting, What’s different about Alice is that she has the most incisive way of telling the truth, with a dedication to smooth surfaces. It’s a move that pulls you in closer to the figure while keeping you at a distance – you can’t quite get to the bottom of the painting, or the person in it. There's a real awareness of process, a certain dance between opacity and layering, that gives the piece its depth, even though it's so flat. Look at how the strokes of the skirt blend seamlessly into the teal background. It's almost as though the painting is breathing, the surface alive with subtle shifts in color and tone. And that pale pink sweater! It's like a soft whisper against the solidity of the grey skin tones. This piece reminds me a little of Barkley Hendricks in its commitment to portraiture, but Sherald brings her own unique perspective to the genre. With Sherald, like all great artists, she's really in conversation with art history, but doing it in a way that feels totally fresh and contemporary. It really makes you think about what it means to see, and to be seen.