John Currin (b. 1962)

Wise and dignified, Nadine Gordimer mesmerizes the viewer with her gaze from her seat in Currin's canvas. Born to Jewish immigrants outside of Johannesburg in the early 1920's, Gordimer intimately observed the turmoil of apartheid which enveloped South Africa as she grew up. Her writing is often heralded as the moral compass of her nation, dealing with the cusp of racial issues while allowing her readers to imagine what life could be like beyond apartheid. These moral leanings in her life and writings lead her to become a central figure in the fight for justice, working closely with Nelson Mandela. Her portrait breaks free from the celebration of the body typical in Currin's portraiture and firmly becomes a celebration the sitter's intellect.

Presented in his typical Mannerist proportions, Nadine Gordimer forces our attention on her mind rather than body. One of Currin's few subjects to directly meet our gaze, she holds our attention, creating a bond between her and the viewer. The muted and earthy palette that surrounds her enhances the personal and comforting aura of the painting. Currin's portrait of Gordimer comes during his period of fascination with older women, often using formal complexities to straddle the line between caricature and documentary, of age and grace. However, Nadine deflects this peril, with Currin deftly giving her a poised air that is uniquely hers. Echoes of Picassos celebrated portrait of Gertrude Stein are reflected in both the palette and respect for the subject. Like Picasso painted Stein as we would see her, a literary giant, Currin painted Gordimer as we do see her, an important and influential Nobel Laureate.