David Shrobe (b. 1974, Harlem, NY)
Nature of Myself, 2018
Acrylic, ink, and charcoal on canvas in wood frame

Thick, murky green brushstrokes wash across the background of this ovular, multi-layered portrait of a dignified Black sitter. The chin and jaw are inperceptible, leaving only lips to be seen. The eyes and nose are visible but are revealed in grayscale from seemingly removed sections of the canvas surface, as if peering through another hidden setting. His posture, steadfast gaze, and lustrous maroon coat seem to recall early traditions of American portraiture.

David Shrobe’s paintings feature the likenesses of family, friends, and at times, even the artist himself. The figures often appear fractured; they are a combination of parts pulled from art history, familiar figures, and prose. Within the genre of portraiture painting, the intent of the painter is often to represent a human subject in their full likeness; not only their outward appearance, but to capture some kind of inner significance—their true essence. Here, the canvas doubles as a window into a subject whose name and identity are obscured—just out of reach—only allowing the visitor to see a glimpse of their personhood and spirit. The fragmented composition simultaneously interrupts and accents the image and perhaps alludes to the common erasure of Black subjects from narratives of U.S. history.