About the Work
Chuck Close's photograph of Al Gore is part of America: Now and Here, a project by Eric Fischl, who invited friends and fellow artists to submit a work of art reflecting their points of view and hopes for a post-9/11 America. Close‘s deep respect for Gore is apparent in the dignified manner in which he depicts the former politician and dedicated environmental activist in this portrait.
About the Artist
Chuck Close is widely known for his painterly process of using abstraction to a realistic end. Gridding both a source photograph and a canvas, Close paints brightly-colored concentric rings that up close look like simple color fields, but from afar turn out to be very detailed portraits. His celebrated subjects include Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Chamberlain, Jasper Johns, Brad Pitt, Robert Rauschenberg, and Kate Moss. His recognition as one of the greatest artists of his generation is almost universal.
With his work recently gracing New York City taxis, and soon to decorate the set of a biographical ballet (scored by his friend Philip Glass) at the American Ballet Theater, Close is truly a major face of the New York art scene. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, has served on the board of many arts organizations, and has more than 20 honorary doctorates. He was recently appointed by President Obama to serve on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
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