08/24/2025
- Title: Untitled
- Medium: Ballpoint pens and Crayola crayons on paper
- Dimensions:
- Year: 2025
- Artist: JanMiroslav
- Model: Collin Christian collin_c14
This piece stems from an interest in exploring identity and transformation through portraiture. I used my friend Collin as the model—his expression and presence felt ideal for representing a visual duality. I drew inspiration from Mexican lucha libre masks, which I’ve always seen as powerful symbols of strength, anonymity, and theatricality. The real face merges with the masked persona, as if both coexist on the same plane.
I worked with ballpoint pens and Crayola crayons on paper, aiming for a texture that feels both intimate and vibrant. As a personal anecdote, the crayons I used belong to my daughter Miroslava, which added an unexpected layer of tenderness and familial connection to the process. The pink and blue are not merely decorative—they evoke a playful, almost childlike energy that contrasts with the seriousness of the portrait. The piece has no title, as I prefer the viewer to name it from their own experience.