黑料不打烊

Is it possible for a portrait to capture the 鈥渢rue essence鈥� of its sitter? Traditional portraits in European art practice are carefully composed, often depicting a single figure with the face as the focus. However, this emphasis on physical likeness does not always succeed in representing a subject鈥檚 individuality, as personality, emotions, and identity are multidimensional and dynamic. Additionally, these portraits鈥攆rom paintings of aristocrats to colonial ethnographic photography鈥攁ssert hierarchical relationships of power and limited constructions of identity.

For this exhibition, the BAMPFA Student Committee selected works from the museum鈥檚 permanent collection that challenge portraiture鈥檚 stylistic conventions and cultural associations by exploring alternative ways of expressing an individual鈥檚 interiority and presence. Through a selection of artworks in various mediums and styles, and from various time periods and cultures, this exhibition explores what it might mean when a portrait looks beyond exteriority and appearances. Whether illuminating the complex relationship between artist and subject, attending to the objects entwined with daily life, or recognizing a sitter鈥檚 agency in the production of a portrait, the works on view showcase the spectrum of possibilities that can represent one鈥檚 life and encourage a more expansive definition of portraiture.