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Exaggerated Grotesque Portraits

Artist Gregory Jacobsen Focuses on Human Failure and Weaknesses

— July 12, 2013 — Art & Design
The paintings by Gregory Jacobsen, an artist based in Chicago, Illinois, will seem incredibly harsh to those uninformed about the intensions behind them. The features of the portrayed have been grotesquely exaggerated to create near-monstrous portraits. Yet there is more to each image than first meets the eye.

Gregory Jacobsen may focus on certain parts a little obsessively, especially drawn to "a little flab hanging over a waistband, ill-fitting shoes, underbites and exciting flags held in dainty orifices," but all is done with a purpose. Gregory Jacobsen writes, "The work is absurd, grotesque and a bit brutal but I try to bring the viewer in with lush and glowing surfaces. Essentially the work is about human failure and weakness groomed and developed to be an asset."
Trend Themes
1. Exaggerated Grotesque Portraits - Opportunity to disrupt traditional portrait art with exaggerated, unconventional styles that highlight human flaws and weaknesses.
2. Human Failure and Weakness - Potential for innovation in exploring and depicting human flaws and weaknesses in a thought-provoking and confronting manner.
3. Obesity and Body Image - Disruptive opportunities in addressing and challenging societal perceptions and stigmatization of body image through exaggerated portrayals of physical attributes.
Industry Implications
1. Fine Arts - Disruptive possibilities in the field of portrait art and contemporary art as a whole, by pushing boundaries and redefining artistic conventions.
2. Art Education - Opportunity to incorporate Gregory Jacobsen's work and approach to explore themes of human flaws and societal expectations in art curricula.
3. Body Positivity and Wellness - Potential for disruption in the wellness industry by challenging prevailing notions of body ideals and promoting acceptance of diverse body types.
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