Kerstin Roolfs German-American, b. 1965
B‑W Heads is a compelling diptych of human faces rendered in high-contrast monochrome. Set between abstraction and presence, the work captures the nuanced interplay of identity, memory, and emotional resonance within minimalist portraiture.
Concept & Interpretation
Rather than portraits of specific individuals, these heads evoke universal presence—figures caught between becoming and fading. Their anonymity invites projection: who are they, what do they feel, what stories do their gazes hold? Roolfs envelops the viewer in empathetic curiosity.
This work reflects Kerstin’s ongoing exploration of human presence—seen earlier in her Sisters III and larger figurative series. It underscores her fascination with identity as both image and impression, a theme she revisits in later works like In the Air (2021).