Portraiture is a time-honoured genre, known throughout history for capturing the very essence of individuals. We select five artists from the Aesthetica Art Prize who redefine the style for the 21st century.
Countering the depiction of the African continent and its inhabitants as embodying “otherness”, Echeverria goes through a process of collaboration with her subjects, demanding the viewer see the individual behind the story.
Dylan Andrews, Masked by Shadows (II)
This piece raises the subject of identity, interrogating the ways in which individuals consciously and subconsciously mask and distort identities to adapt. It is a visual representation of an inner conflict.
Frischkorn creates an ironic yet historical dialogue between the subjects and Renaissance portraiture. The series McWorkers captures Fast food industry employees, reflecting on perceived notions of conformity.
Peter Davis, Cardboard Reality 1
Exploring our relationships with technology, Davis poses questions about the digital epoch we inhabit and the status of the human being in society today. Cardboard Reality 1 explores the emergence of Virtual Reality.
0-100 is an ongoing project of a hundred portraits of people aged from birth to 100 years old. With one person representing each age, the series grants a fresh air to classic styles.
Credits:
1. All images courtesy of the artists.
