If you are a friend or family member of Chuck Close, God help you. You've most likely had your portrait blown up to a monumental size (we're talking 8x10 feet) to really show your asymmetry. Close became famous in the 1970s for the Godzilla-size photo-realist portraits he called "heads," an attempt to focus on process rather than character. With so much freakin' face, however, it's impossible not to attribute personality to his works. Here's how he did it: He took a photo, drew a grid over it, then drew a giant grid on a giant piece of paper and gave himself a giant headache filling each square. In the late 80s, he suffered a rare spinal artery collapse, but has kept at his painstaking art in spite of the resulting paralysis. Put that all together and you've got one helluva life story. Watch it unfold at Contemporary Forums screening of Marion Cajoris documentary Chuck Close: A Portrait in Progress.
Wed., July 8, 7 p.m., 2009
Morning Poll: Did ICE Help Kill Phoenix Officer Daryl Raetz, as Senator John McCain Asserts?
Jodi Arias Jury Done -- No Decision on Death Penalty; Mistrial of Penalty Phase Declared; State Wants to Retry
Greg Patterson, AZ Board of Regents Member, Restarts Controversial "Espresso Pundit" Blog; Says He Won't Cover University Issues
Find everything you're looking for in your city
Find the best happy hour deals in your city
Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%
Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city
