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Alex Davern |
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Susannah Hart – Self-Portrait
This piece presents the viewer with a less conventional interpretation of a portrait, intentionally veering away from the traditional emphasis and association between the face and portraiture. Within my practice I am currently exploring a process whereby I conceal my subject’s face. Portraiture to me is essentially about identity. To recognise someone does not necessarily mean that you truly identify him or her. I aim to convey an ambiguous portrait capturing personality, rather than a detailed reproduction of nose shape or eye colour. My work uses gesture to explore issues of femininity, sexuality, intimacy, defiance, but is often done so with inelegance and humour. These are issues I feel are relevant to youth culture. I have also refrained from placing my subject in a landscape or shrouding them with props as a way of enhancing the portrait. I believe this is often done with the vague intent of conveying the subject’s interests or profession. By stripping my subject of this I feel it enables multiple reading, allowing the viewer to build their own story and
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