After a seizure left Chuck Close paralyzed, he developed a new technique for making art that utilized pixel-like units to convey photographic detail. To create this image, the artist squeezed paper pulp through a template. Stand close to see the small bits of different colors of gray: when seen from a distance, they combine to form a portrait.

This picture represents Close’s identity as a painter, which he had to fight to maintain in the wake of his medical issues. Reflecting on this process, Close said, “What are the two great fears of a painter? That you’re going to lose your eyesight or that you’re going to lose the use of your hands. What I found out was that I could make art without my hands and that I was lucky, I already knew how to paint. If you already know how to do something, you can figure out some way to get back to it.”