Автопортрет 1910

Mykhailo Boychuk made this self-portrait with what looks like a pencil or maybe charcoal, and some light washes of color here and there. I love to think about the making, and how it emerges through trial and error. I imagine Boychuk, staring in the mirror, his brow furrowed in concentration, marking the paper with quick, decisive strokes. Look at the hatching that models the shadows on his face – it’s like he’s building up the form, line by line. What was he thinking as he drew each line? Was he pleased with how the portrait was coming along, or was he frustrated by his own image staring back at him? The physicality of the medium is so present here. The texture of the paper, the smudges and imperfections, all contribute to the emotional resonance of the work. I’m reminded of other artists who have used self-portraiture as a means of self-exploration, from Rembrandt to Van Gogh to Alice Neel. Artists are constantly in conversation with one another across time, drawing inspiration and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It’s an embodied expression which allows for multiple interpretations.