The Original
My painting, The Faces of Marcel (1982-2018), is a collaboration with my grandfather, Miles (1912-2008), from beyond the grave. Marcel Marceau was a world renowned mime artist and a champion for the underdog.
During the Second World War, he worked for the French Resistance. His story moved me. As a Jew, he did this at great personal risk, in order to save the lives of numerous children.
In much the same way, my grandmother, Betty, worked for the Dutch Resistance although her own life was at risk.
My grandfather completed his painting in 1982. As a child, I loved this piece for its haunting quality. After his death, I spent many years tracking down the Marcel Marceau.
Conveying Emotion
Recently, I was reunited with the painting and deeply inspired to make my own Marcel. Yet, I intended for it to stand alongside Miles’ version as different representations of the same subject.
In The Faces of Marcel (1982-2018), I wanted to capture the skill that Marcel Marceau brought in silently conveying emotion. While his life experience had brought him pain, he had managed to transform this into art. As a portrait artist, I found his face so perfectly expressive.
I based my painting on an old black and white photograph and drew enormous guidance from Miles’ painting. In order to draw attention to his expressions, I kept the composition simple.
Completing this painting allowed me an opportunity to learn from grandfather posthumously. Like him, I used a monochromatic palette with a black background. I also wanted to paint the same hat and makeup, to give the pieces some consistency.
The result is a striking painting series that speaks volumes, in spite of the silence of mime artistry. The Faces of Marcel (1982-2018) brings attention back to a unique and talented man and keeps his memory alive for future generations.