Self Portrait 1913

This is a self-portrait by George Bouzianis, made with oil paint, and you can just imagine him dabbing the paint with a small brush onto the canvas, his own face emerging stroke by stroke. I find myself wondering what it might have been like for Bouzianis to scrutinize his own features so intently, turning himself into an object of study. The way he has built up the surface is so physical – you can almost feel the texture of the paint, the layering of ochres, browns, and creams that define his face. The brushstrokes around the eyes are particularly striking, little dashes that convey a sense of depth and, dare I say, introspection. It reminds me of the way Van Gogh used paint, not just to depict, but to communicate feeling. Painters, you know, we’re always in conversation with each other across time, riffing off one another's ideas, pushing the boundaries of what paint can do, and how it can help us see the world differently. It's all about keeping the conversation going.