by Natascha Sastra

Artwork Description

No smile for a while

0.0 x 0.0

The person The person portrayed in this painting came with this request while and because he was going through a very difficult phase of life. There were some nasty and sad personal events that took place in his life. His father, who was diagnosed with dementia, was in the transition phase from living at home with his wife to being placed in a nursing home. Needless to say, this was a very painful and sad process for his loved ones. Meanwhile, when I where painting this piece, this nursing became in lock-down. His family could no longer visit him. And he became sick, lonely and even more confused than before. After sad years seeing him struggling with dementia, he finally died from Covid 19. We agreed that the portrait would be influenced by ‘the joker’ and the carnival in our province, both featuring painted faces. The portait expressions include raw, hurt, torn, dark, introvert, down, a little bitter, sarcastic and sardonic. The composition doesn't lie. Nothing is made more beautiful than it is. The man is naked behind his make-up and talcum powder mask. The honey flows uncontrollably along his face, chaoticly, messy, confusing. The little enjoyments little things of life are no longer seen or experienced as an insignificant burden. Behind the closed eyes, his own feelings and thoughts remain private. What does someone have to endure to get this far and dare to show it?

Artwork Details

Medium:

Genre: Figurative