Chuck Close
American
In the 1960s, Chuck Close emerged as a pioneering figure in the Photorealism movement, gaining acclaim for his monumental, meticulously detailed portraits based on photographic sources. Experimenting with color, scale, and structure, he later developed a signature technique: grid-based paintings that read as abstract compositions up close but resolve into pixelated, highly realistic images from a distance.Close's work has been widely exhibited since the 1960s, with major solo shows at institutions such as the Walker Art Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the State Hermitage Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. He has also participated in prestigious group exhibitions, including multiple appearances at the Venice Biennale and Documenta.His portraits frequently feature family members and close friends, including prominent artists like Robert Rauschenberg, Cindy Sherman, and Richard Serra. Close’s practice connects him not only to fellow Photorealists such as Richard Estes and Audrey Flack but also to the broader currents of Conceptual art. His work continues to command strong interest in the art market, with some pieces achieving seven-figure sums at auction.