A couple months ago, I traveled down to Los Angeles to the Museum and the Web Conference at the Millenium Biltmore Hotel in DTLA. My last night at the conference I attended a party at The Broad. Unable and unwilling to spend time trying to score tickets to the 'Infinity Room', I strolled through the galleries and came upon a Chuck Close painting.
I was first introduced to his life and work while watching the PBS documentary 'Chuck Close: A Portrait in Progress'. At the time, I lived in New York and rushed over to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to see one of these pieces in person.
Anyway, last week I strolled across the street to the recently reopened SFMOMA - working at an arts organization has its perks - because I heard there were a few of his pieces in the collection. I mean I couldn't resist. What I did not expect was to see an 8-foot tall collage made out of paper pulp. Phyllis, took my breath away - twice. He also painted her portrait in ink with fingerprints.
Phyllis, Chuck Close