Joseph Mandel [SCH RA 2024]
Joan of Arc, 2025
Oil

In Mandel’s Known & Unknown exhibition submission, he presents three works: one showcases his older approach, while the other two mark a shift from purely observational portraiture to a more concept-driven, historically reflective practice. Chris in Beige captures his earlier focus on portraiture as both a technical challenge and an intimate act. The subject, Chris, a musician whose album The Beige featured a unique visual identity, represents Mandel’s past fascination with realism, painted with an intense awareness of light, texture, and presence.

In contrast, with his newer pieces, Joan of Arc and Heracles, Mandel pushes his work further, reimagining famous historical figures through a modern lens. These paintings are part of his ongoing Contemporary Figures series, where he removes these figures from their original contexts and places them in the present. The use of gold leaf, which highlights Joan’s ethereal halo and Heracles’ glowing lion headdress, adds a rich, symbolic layer that connects myth and material. Mandel’s other works within this series depict subjects like Medusa and King Arthur, among others, further expanding his exploration of historical figures through a modern perspective.

In these newer works, Mandel loosens his brushwork, embracing a more spontaneous, gestural style that breaks free from the formalities of classical portraiture. This change reflects his ongoing exploration of how figures are represented, commercialized, and reinterpreted across time. By transporting these historical figures into the now, he aims to collapse the gap between past and present, prompting a fresh look at the archetypes that still shape our collective imagination.