During the final decade of his life, artist Gordon Rayner returned to portraiture, creating stirring portraits of himself – some now on exhibition through March 2 at Christopher Cutts Gallery in Toronto.
In the summer of 2010, the Christopher Cutts Gallery and Gordon Rayner were planning a self-portrait exhibition for the fall. Unexpectedly, Rayner passed away in September of that year, and what was to be a self-portrait show became an exhibition celebrating his career.
Now, after 14 years, the show that was to be, is, the gallery says. “The Illustrated Man” features 12 raw self-portraits of the artist in his final years, completed between 2001 and 2010. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue featuring an insightful essay by Canadian art critic Gary Michael Dault.
In the text, Dault describes these evocative self-portraits as “utterly fearless in their unsparing depiction of the hitherto swashbuckling painter now brought low by age, infirmity, by raw, angry wit, and roaring resignation. He looks like an old lion — with time’s thorn relentlessly piercing him more and more deeply.”
Christopher Cutts Gallery website, here.
Exhibition page, here.
Image at top of post: The Illustrated Man (Self Portrait) 2010, oil on board, 32 x 24 inches
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Depressing but I love his rage and in your face attitude.
And brave to do it at all, yes.
Also the title of a story collection by Ray Bradbury!
You’re right! I had not connected that. Thank you.
Growling old. I find these portraits sad and showing his agony of not being young anymore. Lately, many bloggers are posting sad posts, it’s where we are in our world. Trying to be happy, but not able to because of “everything” that is going on in the world that speaks of DOOM. Such strange weather, our food sources have constant recalls, wars, migrant crisis, politics…. If the news could only share some positive things – how much better we’d be mentally, right.
The news is owned by those who make the world what it is. You won’t see anything good coming from them. Ever. They want people afraid, miserable and depressed, so they can pass the laws they like, to make the bars on our prisons thicker. None of this is done by accident.
I hear you on doom, something I have always been aware of. (There’s a whole section on this site about apocalyptic and doomsday art) So you’ve hit a chord, for sure.
As the author of “Aging Artist’s Lament” and a painter myself, these are strong visual stories; much appreciated!
Thank you for weighing in, because it led me to discover “Aging Artist’s Lament,” quite beautiful. (Here is the link for anyone interested . . . https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/aging-artist-s-lament-song-lyrics/ )