June 15
Portrait painting by Eduard Castells
The roots
of portrait painting are to be found in Prehistoric times, but it came to
really flourish as a prominent art-form in the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
The early twentieth century saw the artists’ portrait repertoire expand even
further and, despite a fall in popularity towards the middle of the 20th
century, portrait painting has once more undergone a revival at the start of
the new millennium.
Eduard Castells NOISE space
provides an excellent example not just of how far the portrait has come but
also of how the internet is now being used to showcase art,. Taking the Dalai
Lama, The Phantom and a wide range of characterised animals, Castells applies a
unique touch to an age old process.
His NOISE
showcase features a series of caricatures, portraits and studies of a wide
range of subjects from superheroes to hipsters to misfits. Pictures of
alienation, friendship and vice abound, but one thing really stands out in
Castells’ work: personality and character. Idiosyncrasy and individuality
shines from each picture, providing us with figures who all have a story.
The
narrative aspect of Castell’s work grabs the attention; whether it’s the
lechery of sweetheart, the uptight comedy of senhora, or the
pathos of bighead, these are beautiful caricatures that have been
brought to life by the artist’s talent. Castells shows himself to have a fine
grasp of a variety of mediums, experimenting with pencil sketch delicacy as
well as refreshing swathes of colour. The artist’s digital collages add an
entirely new dimension to his work also, ensuring that he walks an expert line
between Marvel comic-art, Picasso’s portraiture and Photoshop kitsch.
Contributed by Fire on The Lifeboat