The Commuter II

A bust turns its back on us in this small painting not without a touch of frustration, as though to escape the portrait. While a face can be made out amidst the gloom, it remains elusive. This enigmatic character, painted by Michaël Borremans in the wake of the 2019-2021 Covid pandemic, merges seamlessly with the crowd in an attempt to avoid detection, identification or contact. The hood drawn down over his head seems to hide another face hidden in the folds. The Commuter here becomes a portrait of anonymity teetering on the edge of dystopia.