Personal favorite: People paintings

Not just paintings, but pretty much every kind of figurative work.

from series “Identidad y memoria” by David Fernández Saez

A representation of a person is an infinite thing to think about but no matter what, I somehow relate to each one I see. You can read so much into each one because it automatically attains layers of meaning just from the subject matter. Each is an interpretation of the human spirit, our inner battles and victories, and often our failures and grief. But people are beautiful, imperfect and unique, so translating that onto a canvas is a just recipe for emotive visual power, especially when impossible parts can bend your imagination.

Each type of person – children and the elderly especially – their faces and positions and situations become ones that the people outside of the canvas or photograph can immediately identify with. They give you a character to fall in love with, a narrative to wonder about and a life to consider. How did this person get to the place where they’re painted? What will happen to them after? What do they want to happen?

Recently Tumblr has been overflowing with really talented artists – especially those making this kind of universally relatable work starring our fellow human beings. Take a look below at some of my favorite selections posted this week.

by Joseph Loughborough
found here.

Giuseppe Sanmartino – Cristo Velato (Veiled Christ)
found here.

‘Belle jar’ – oil on canvas 74 x 51cms. Neil Moore, 2012
from two headed snake.

by Pascal Vilcollet

Sleeping beauty by Carmel Jenkin
Oil on canvas, 40” x 40”
from the artist’s Tumblr here.