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Artist Biography:
Alessandro Raho's (English, b. 1971) images draw on his personal
interior and exterior, painting and photographing his friends, family
and landscapes. His paintings are "luxuriously photographic" and
his photographs are "deceptively painterly", exploring the narrative
and nostalgia of desire of his subjects. He has exhibited at the
Kunsthalle Basel, Cheim and Read, London's Institute of Contemporary
Arts, the Walker & Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery in Paris. In 2005, the
National Portrait Gallery in London commissioned Raho to paint Dame
Judi Dench's portrait.
About the Work:
The portrait can be expressed as an appearance, but also a mask. Ewan, painted on an off-white background, is austere as his surroundings. Grey-blue eyes stare out of the picture plane, highlighted only by the light blue shirt he wears. This work poses the question of whether Ewan wears a mask or is showing his true nature.
Market Information:
Raho is a true talent of his day. When his works do come up at auction, they almost always sell way above the high estimates. Even as recent as April, a similar "Ewan" far surpassed its estimate, selling for over $12,000. He is a staple in the UK art scene and when he exhibits in the US, he shows are well received my the press and art community.
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