He is known for his intricate paintings telling epic stories but it is the waistcoat that he wears every day that is a living reliquary of the artist’s own life
Joe Coleman is instantly recognisable, not just because of his many self-portraits, but also because of the vest (or “waistcoat” as it is called in some parts of the world) that he is rarely seen without.
The artist in 2026; photo: Juho Liukkonen / Night Visions International Film Festival
The vest is Joe, as immediately identifiable as his face with its mighty moustache and unfettered, salt-and-pepper beard. It is another self-portrait, an artwork that is deeply personal and intimate, embodying personal history, memories, obsessions, friendships, travels, and more. At the same time, it is also a recurring character within the numerous paintings the artist has made of himself, the most recent of which was completed as this feature was written.
The 70-Year-Old Mirror, 2026, acrylic on artist box and painted glass, 7.5 x 7 x 3 in. / 19 x 18 x 7.5 cm
Four decades in the making, it is completely encrusted with over one hundred, hugely varied talismans. The weight of so many objects is literally destroying the garment, causing the fabric to wear thin and fray. And yet it is still an ever-evolving work – not only a form of self-portraiture but of branding and identity.
Love Song (detail), 1999, acrylic on panel, with reliquaries, mounted on a bedsheet, 28 x 34 in. / 71 x 86.5 cm
Born in 1955 in Norwalk, Connecticut, Coleman is best known as a painter of dense, intricately detailed canvases which are painstakingly executed with a single-hair brush. As well as autobiographical, his subject matter is biographical: portraits of cultural figures from the fringes of society: outlaws, artists, serial killers, sideshow “freaks” , a selection of friends, all deeply researched.
By REBECCA LIEB
This is an article extract; read the full article in Raw Vision #128.
