Chuck Close is my freaking hero. If you haven’t heard of him, here is an example of his work: Mark (1978 – 1979) (source) His work is often recognized by his hyper-realist style, by the delicate manner in which he handles the supremely focused photographs of faces. To add to the effect of grandiosity, these paintings are often rendered on an extremely large canvas with all the details zoomed in and exposed to be observed by the viewer. Frank (1969) (source) A funny thing I learned today is that Chuck Close is “face blind.” He is afflicted with a condition called Prosopagnosia, which literally means that he has trouble remembering faces. He could have dinner with you tonight and forget your face the next day. Most of the portraits he has done (and he has done many, in many different ways) are of his friends and family, though this was not a deliberate decision brought about by his Prosopagnosia. Big Self-Portrait (1967 – 1968) (source) This is one of Close’s most recognizable and celebrated works. …