From the first staged photograph to the present day’s unceasing flow of selfies in social media, self-portraiture has expanded the possibilities of artistic production, enhancing the ability of artists to take control of their own representation, reinterpret truthfulness, and experiment with their chosen medium. When creating a self-portrait, the image-maker must exercise self-introspection, only to imagine and prepare themselves to be the subject of the viewer’s gaze. This exhibition explores the myriad ways in which artists use the theme of self-portraiture to explore, and at times manipulate their own representation, and it has a particular focus on dialogues between works across art history, with a consideration of the influence of the invention and advancements of photographic techniques.
The exhibition includes works by Francisco de Goya, Jacob Kainen, Emily Lombardo, and Zanele Muholi from the Museum’s Permanent Collection, as well as major loans of pieces by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Rembrandt van Rijn, Amy Sherald, Andy Warhol, and others from Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, the the National Gallery of Art, the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art, and private collections.
The exhibition is generously supported by Art Bridges, Bluepoint Hospitality and the National Gallery of Art.
