Frantic

Society of Illustrators 49th Annual of American Illustration, 2007, p155
Illustrator: Thomas Fuchs

This is a portrait of Nathan Lane used for a theater poster to promote his play Butley, in which the main character is slowly falling apart. I think the illustrator brilliantly conveys this idea. The artwork represents so many aspects of mental instability —literally falling apart, being torn in different directions, losing one's identity, not knowing where to turn, and seeing the world in black and white. The literal representation of black and white creates an onimous, dark atmosphere and adds dramatic flare. My favorite aspect of the image is the disharmonious rhythm resulting from the fragmentation, which causes my focus to bounce back and forth between the subjects's eyes.