CHUCK CLOSE- Subway Portraits

Subway Portraits, 86th Street and 2nd Avenue Subway, New York, NY © Chuck Close 2016

Commissioned by MTA Arts & Design


Chuck Close created twelve large-scale portraits for 86th Street that are based on the artist’s painstakingly detailed photo-based portrait paintings. His various painting techniques have been interpreted in ten works as mosaic, and in two as ceramic tile. Ten of the artworks measure close to nine feet high. The people portrayed represent the variety of individuals that pass though the MTA system, and are chiefly cultural figures that have frequently been subjects in his artistic career spanning over half a century, including Sienna Shields, Zhang Huan, Kara Walker, Alex Katz, Cecily Brown, and Cindy Sherman, as well as two distinct self-portraits.

http://chuckclose.com/


Self-Portrait Yellow Raincoat, glass

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

_34A0748

_34A0401

CHUCK_YELLOW_JACKET_Detail3

_34A0766

_34A0565

Chuck Close Subway Portraits Self Portrait detail



Sienna, glass

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Sienna_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Cecily, tumbled Byzantine smalti

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Cecily_ChuckC02

Cecily_Chuck03

Cecily_ChuckClose05

Cecily_ChuckClose07

Cecily_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Kara, tumbled Byzantine smalti

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Kara_ChuckClose02

Kara_ChuckClose03

Kara_ChuckClose05

Kara_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Alex, custom-glazed ceramic tile

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Alex_ChuckClose02

Alex_ChuckClose04

Alex_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Pozsi, custom-glazed ceramic tile

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Poszi_ChuckClose04

Poszi_ChuckClose05

Poszi_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Emma, custom-glazed ceramic tile

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Emma_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Self-Portrait, custom-glazed ceramic tile

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

CHUCK_SELF-PORTRAIT_Detail1

Chuck_Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail


Zhang, custom glazed ceramic tile

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail



Cindy, custom glazed ceramic tile

Chuck Close Subway Portraits

Chuck Close Subway Portraits detail