The Lovely, Faceless Woman

One of the reasons we love this work is that we get to see lots of wonderful art. Sometimes we get a personal tour as we install a big collection... but it can be equally fun to admire just one or two beautiful pieces.

On a recent visit to a client's condo in downtown Asheville, I spotted this modern masterpiece already hanging in an alcove.

How do I love it? Let me count the ways...

Actually, it can be hard to articulate what makes a piece like this so special. Part of it is the sensuality of the stripes, and the very simple color scheme. And it's fascinating that the artist can leave the woman's face blank and yet still make the image so expressive.

The frame is also an important part of the aesthetic; the simple silver square sets off dove-gray ground to a T.

I asked our client about the painting, and she was just as enthusiastic as I was. "Believe it or not," she said, "This little piece is the most valuable item in my collection."

She explained that she came across it during a visit to Art Basel, which is a famous annual exhibition in Miami. She saw it at the show and then couldn't stop thinking about it, and weeks later, she called the Swiss gallery who had displayed it. To her relief, it was still available.

The artist was Gideon Rubin. She had a book about him.

Rubin is a contemporary Israeli artist whose work nearly always omits the faces of his subjects.

According to my client's account, Rubin grew up in circumstances that left him without much family, and certainly without many family photos. In response to his yearning for roots to the past, he's made a collection of vintage photo albums from other people, sifting through them as if they were his own, and painting from his favorite images. The facelessness of the subjects is related to this yearning for a link to the past.

Gideon Rubin – RYAN LEE Gallery

Our client had a few other lovely items to display, including this large painting which we installed. It was too large to hang on her own, and she seemed happy to have it finally displayed where she could see it every day.

If you have a cherished piece of art that you need handled with care, please let us know. That's our specialty.

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