When asked why he chose to paint human heads in profile, Van Selm explains it like this: The frontal face depends too much on individual features that largely obscure form. The profile, however, works with the contour line that encircles a clear and meaningful space. One line can designate form and likeness, create abstract contour and human expression simultaneously.
The solo women's profiles appeared first in the 1990s in large, canvas-filling format. These are the confident, self-assured women of today. With their forward-urging profile, they trail an assertive swoop of hair that curls up over their heads into an uplifting roundness. At times, the profiles show a double outline, an inner and outer life, so-to-speak. The heads seem to jet out of their space due to their powerful form and bold color.
