One Face

Faces are the most recognizable part of the human body. With the exception of identical twins, no two people have the same face. But while we all have unique features, there are universally common characteristics of the human face. After all, everyone has a nose, mouth, and eyes. In my work, I want to emphasize that when completely different faces are superimposed, they can form one coherent face. By using short brushstrokes and different colors for each portrait, I am able to make all the features on the face of four different portraits become one facial appearance. The four different portraits that are combined are similar in gender and age so that the superimposed face is easier to make out. The faces do however come from all different races. If you look closely at each piece, the traces of the four different portraits can all be seen. My idea was inspired by first doing portrait collages using pieces of magazine paper. After looking at other artists’ portrait collages, like Picasso’s, I was intrigued by how different pieces of images can come together to form a new image. Though my original portraits all have different features and facial expressions, when I place them together they make their own unique portrait. Looking at these works, I want a viewer to recognize that though we all have unique exteriors, we really look more alike than we think. I want these superimposed pieces to express the similarity between the people around us, regardless of their differences in features