Gilbert Lewis, Interior

Lewis recalled, “The young men and elderly people who sat for me had a sense of trust because I listened to them and didn’t run away. Some of the young models would bring CDs or tapes of their favorite music to play while we sat.”

The artist came to know his models well and developed with them a strong sense of mutual trust. From this deep interpersonal connection, he was able to build psychologically penetrating images that could sometimes suggest mysterious narratives.

Here a shirtless young man sits in Lewis’s home studio, his eyes partly hidden by glasses. The shelves behind him hold art supplies and other equipment, along with a small sign that reads “I Dunno” and an image of two men kissing. The open door to the shadowy kitchen beyond deepens the moody atmosphere, suggesting a person with complicated emotions