I’ve Just Seen A Face

When it comes to portraiture, there is much more at stake than just capturing a likeness. Before photography, portraits were the only means available for those who could afford it to preserve an individual’s visual record, and in Western culture, they were utilized as a political tool to both bolster the public image of the aristocracy as well as conduct delicate matters of courtship and marriage. The earliest portraits followed idealized artistic conventions, the extent of which are difficult to assess seeing as such portraits are often the only remaining record of the individual presented. Numerous traditions of portraiture flourished over time, most notably in Ancient Greece and Rome where portrait busts often depicted individual likenesses to an exacting degree.

For artists America Martin and Martin Adalian, the emphasis of their figurative work is placed on an investigation of humanity, legacy through an adaptation of traditional portraiture. Drawing inspiration from historical sources, the faces found throughout their work prioritize personality and sentiment over precision and in some cases, over identification.

Freehandedly and unapologetically capturing her subjects, America Martin’s compositions are a personal reflection of the human experience and condition. In Seeing America, Martin examines the impact of activism and heroism. In a bold statement that champions everyday kindnesses and small, sustained steps toward change, her I See Heroes Everywhere Series includes legends of the past and present, as well as unsung figures. Rendered in streamlined ink drawings, each portrait is emblematic of both passion and initiative. Pairing a quote with each likeness, Martin implores visitors to consider the core values of leadership embodied in the series—justice, integrity, empathy, and a call to action.

Also featuring a selection of oil and acrylic paintings that do not directly correspond to a particular individual, Martin’s other figurative works communicate a gentleness. The nude figures pose serenely among floral motifs and in another, a bird in flight. Color blocked and outlined with bold swaths of black and tan, the figures prioritize storytelling and emotion over realistic portraiture.

Martin Adalian incorporates contemporary styles with the iconography of European art history. Inspired by the Vatican museum’s ancient portraits of Caesars, philosophers, slaves, and proletariats from the Roman Empire, Adalian concluded that people’s faces do not change, and that modern faces are in actuality, very ancient. Forging a connection between modern art and classical, his recreations prioritize the commonalities of mankind and the continuity of life and tradition rather than identifiable depictions.