Zelfportret 2002 nr. 129 2002

Philip Akkerman made this self-portrait, Zelfportret 2002 nr. 129, using a line-making process of some kind. Akkerman’s linear technique reminds me of drawings I made as a kid, filling every space with lines, as if the image would disappear if I left any of the paper bare. He uses this linear process to describe the contours of his face, using a color palette of two similar tones. Looking at the surface of this print, it’s easy to imagine the process by which the image came into being. The material quality of the print is such that the marks are clearly visible, not obscured by any further applications of ink. It’s like the artist is laying himself bare, and wants us to understand every step he took. See how the ear is not a simple curved line, but a bundle of lines, like a diagram of an ear rather than an ear itself. Thinking about Akkerman’s approach, I’m reminded of Giorgio Morandi, and his paintings of bottles and jars. Both artists seem to want to explore the nuances of a limited subject matter. Neither seeks to offer a definitive image, but rather a series of variations on a theme.