Self-Portraiture in Contemporary Art

"There are only two styles of portrait painting; the serious and the smirk." - Charles Dickens

The popularity with artists masquerading in self-portraiture may be attributed to our inability to be content playing only one role in art, and in life. As complex being with rich, inner lives, one role is hardly satisfying. We are not easily defined by a single identity. The self-portrait enables us to create a realm where we can express our past-selves, repressed selves, desires, maladies of the mind, intellectual interests or to fantasize about being someone altogether different than ourselves. The masqueraded self-portrait can be an escape into a world where we have full creative control – not surprising in a reality where we can often feel that we have little control over. We crave the world where we are free to be anyone that we chose to be.

I think this notion underpins my work in this project, I am exploring my self and the idea of my emotions through self portraiture as well as involving portraits of other people in this project yet still expressing myself through these with both the subject and by manipulating the subject. Contemporary portraiture may be innovative because of the media used, the subject or the inspiration behind it. I feel like this is where my practice lies.

bleach

sam taylor wood

untitled film still 2