Behind Our Faces

In Nathaniel Mary Quinn’s painting, “Mend”, Quinn effectively combines pictures of different mediums to create an enticing image. However, I found certain elements to be confusing. What was the purpose of the collage? Why did Quinn only use images to cover the face and not the entire picture?

Quinn’s piece holds a deeper meaning, and the collage is not simply a stylistic choice done to draw attention. The decision to only collage the face of the portrait depicts a message of identity. When identifying a person, the first thing that comes to mind is their face. As you get to know a person, you begin to associate their image with their interests and personality. Suddenly, they become more than a face. They become their own unique individual. Quinn’s painting accurately portrays the idea of unique identities and individualism. Although the different images mismatch from each other, we the audience can conceive a face. Just as different experiences make an individual themselves, the collaged-face forms a face unique from other paintings.

After learning about Quinn’s piece about individualism, others might still question his artistic choices. If the goal was to depict how our experiences make us whole, why not make the face more uniform? Or, why not make the fragments be of the same face? Quinn’s painting not only shows the idea of human individuality, but also his take on the pressure to conform to society’s norms. The choice to make each fragment unique represents perfection in imperfection. It’s acceptable to be different against the norms of society. As humans, we are most ourselves when we acknowledge and embrace every aspect of ourselves.