Historically, the self-portrait was often used as a reference or educational tool; an honest depiction of an artist that reflected the environment in which he or she existed. It enabled the artist to hone their skills, studying their own form as a free and constant model.
Art critic Galina Vasilyeva-Shlyapina separates two basic forms of the self-portrait: "professional" portraits, in which the artist is depicted at work, and "personal" portraits, which reveal moral and psychological features.
With new media comes a chance to create different kinds of self-portraits besides simply static painting or photographs. Many people, especially teens, use social networking sites to form their own personal identity on the internet. Still others use blogs or create personal web pages to create a space for self-expression and self-portraiture.
During this exhibit we invite everyone to participate by taking a creative “selfie”, printing it on 4x4 photo paper and bringing it or mailing it to the Arts Council at any time during the exhibit. We will display the selfies in an ever changing collage for the duration of the exhibit. |
