



a man i never knew I
inherited pins on canvas, walnut stain and brass brad frame
Ethan Caflisch’s A Man I Never Knew is an assemblage series that constructs fragmented portraits of an unknown figure—someone whose belongings the artist inherited but whose identity remains elusive. Through layered mixed media compositions, Caflisch pieces together a narrative from objects left behind, exploring how possessions reflect, distort, and obscure a person’s essence.
These works function as both investigations and acts of preservation, uncovering slivers of a life through what was collected, valued, and passed along. Yet, in this process of reconstruction, misinterpretations emerge—raising questions about the limits of understanding someone through material traces alone. A Man I Never Knew meditates on memory, absence, and the ways in which objects outlive and outshape their owners, becoming relics of both connection and distance.
In Caflisch’s Words:
these pieces are portraits of a man who’s things i inherited, without any knowledge of who he was as a person, or even what he was called. they are snippets of what he cared about, participated in, collected, and identified with. they’re sort of investigations, preservations, and certainly misunderstandings of who someone is through what they hold and pass along
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Ethan Caflisch’s A Man I Never Knew is an assemblage series that constructs fragmented portraits of an unknown figure—someone whose belongings the artist inherited but whose identity remains elusive. Through layered mixed media compositions, Caflisch pieces together a narrative from objects left behind, exploring how possessions reflect, distort, and obscure a person’s essence.
These works function as both investigations and acts of preservation, uncovering slivers of a life through what was collected, valued, and passed along. Yet, in this process of reconstruction, misinterpretations emerge—raising questions about the limits of understanding someone through material traces alone. A Man I Never Knew meditates on memory, absence, and the ways in which objects outlive and outshape their owners, becoming relics of both connection and distance.
In Caflisch’s Words:
these pieces are portraits of a man who’s things i inherited, without any knowledge of who he was as a person, or even what he was called. they are snippets of what he cared about, participated in, collected, and identified with. they’re sort of investigations, preservations, and certainly misunderstandings of who someone is through what they hold and pass along
Artwork Information
Year
2023
Materials
inherited pins on canvas, walnut stain and brass brad frame
Authentication
Signed by Artist
The work comes with a Certification of Authenticity signed by the Co-Founder of Tappan
Dimensions
10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches
FRAMED DIMENSIONS
10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches
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“...still constantly remind myself of H.D. Thoreau’s quote “rather than love, than money, than fame; give me truth.” I think this is a crucial mentality to have as an artist, and any other profession; that success, by any definition, will be found in making honest work.”

About the Artist
Ethan Caflisch
Ethan’s exhibition venues and publications include the Institute of Contemporary Art (San Jose), Cheryl Hazan Gallery (New York), A.M. Gallery (Antwerp), Art Maze Magazine, and AnOther Magazine. Explore his large, geometric and minimalist paintings, figurative paintings and hand made textile works.

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This service is currently unavailable,
sorry for the inconvenience.
Pair it with a frame
Frame options are for visualization purposes only.
FRAME STYLE
MATTING SIZE
BUILDING YOUR EXPERIENCE
powered by Blankwall
Take a few steps back and let your camera see more of the scene.
powered by Blankwall
Was this experience helpful?

Ethan Caflisch’s A Man I Never Knew is an assemblage series that constructs fragmented portraits of an unknown figure—someone whose belongings the artist inherited but whose identity remains elusive. Through layered mixed media compositions, Caflisch pieces together a narrative from objects left behind, exploring how possessions reflect, distort, and obscure a person’s essence.
These works function as both investigations and acts of preservation, uncovering slivers of a life through what was collected, valued, and passed along. Yet, in this process of reconstruction, misinterpretations emerge—raising questions about the limits of understanding someone through material traces alone. A Man I Never Knew meditates on memory, absence, and the ways in which objects outlive and outshape their owners, becoming relics of both connection and distance.
In Caflisch’s Words:
these pieces are portraits of a man who’s things i inherited, without any knowledge of who he was as a person, or even what he was called. they are snippets of what he cared about, participated in, collected, and identified with. they’re sort of investigations, preservations, and certainly misunderstandings of who someone is through what they hold and pass along


EVA CHEN ON ETHAN CAFLISCH
“...WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR PIECES THAT SPOKE TO US AND MADE US PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO ABSORB, APPRECIATE, AND REFLECT. CAFLISCH'S ART ABSOLUTELY HAD THAT EFFECT ON US.”