Ben Rosenfeld

When somebody sees this work, I want them to get a sense of who I am. My artwork is intimate because I put my emotions into it in ways that viewers can see. I envision strangers coming away from my art knowing who I am, and people who know me coming away from my art with an improved understanding of who I am that will be different from how they have viewed me before

I have used many artistic approaches, but my main mediums are watercolors and oil paints, and in this show I mostly depict myself. Especially in my self-portraits, I express parts of myself that are usually hidden due to insecurity or them not being socially acceptable; in this way making self-portraits is therapeutic. A piece’s emotions emerge through the warmth or the solidity of the colors that I choose, the shape and smoothness of the brushstrokes, whether the piece is a closeup or a wide shot, and other techniques. The common theme in this show is the exploration of emotions in the facial expressions of my subjects, which are mostly self-portraits. I was inspired by expressionist painters such as Egon Schiele, who infused his emotions and inner thoughts into his art in the form of sweeping brush strokes and colors that suggested moods.

The paintings are arranged in loose categories, which are separated from the wall panel they are placed on. The centerpiece is “SAUCE II”; it is so powerful and imposing that all the other art must surround it. “SAUCE II” is also the only piece I showed which is not a self-portrait, but I included it in this show because it represents the transition away from self-portraiture into abstraction. To its left are three self-portraits that are unified by their youth. The top one is something I made early on in my International Baccalaureate art experience, and the two below it are based on childhood photos. The column on the far left has two self-portraits with expressionist color schemes. It happens to be perfect for the piece on the left, “Peeking Out The Window,” which will look like it’s literally looking out of a window because the wall panel has a window to the right of it. In the panel to the right of “SAUCE II” is the Warped Mirror Triptych, which could not fit in one panel with all three of them side by side, so the two with defined faces are placed next to each other. To the right of that are two self-portraits with similar compositions. Farthest to the right in this exhibition is the piece called “Insecurity,” which looks fittingly lonely in a panel all to itself. While choosing pieces to include in my show, I tried to assemble a group in which each would fit the theme of portraiture, but would also each have some unique quality that would make it special. I created a show that is diverse in its colors, mediums, and scales, but unified by its subject matter. In every painting, I explore my emotions in the faces of my subjects. I have also spaced out my pieces so that viewers can process each of them on their own. My work is generally very personal, so by putting this art on display, I intend to show all sides of myself to the audience. When they see it, I think they’ll be able to get to know me, even if they haven’t spoken to me before.