Close used an
airbrush and a limited palette of diluted black
acrylic paint to create a photographic effect. The finished painting measures 9 by 7 feet, making Phil’s face much larger than life. As a result of this enlargement, we see Phil at an uncomfortably close distance, from which every mole, hair, and wrinkle is visible. With its cool detachment from its subject, the work functions more like a giant mug shot than a
portrait.
