Within a person’s psyche live memories, dreams, instincts, fears and fantasies. On the outside, although our identities may appear far less complicated, we are able to choose which parts of ourselves we wish to project. In this way, our inner and outer selves are inextricably linked, both evolving and malleable.
Reflecting the human experience of the mind and body in portraiture, we see works which project aspects of our inner and outer identities. Video portraits which explore the various constructions of oneself sit alongside works that gouge out semblances of psychological chaos, envisioning the subconscious in surreal and post-human states of being. The sculptural and photographic works powerfully convey the permeability of both the inner world and outer self, as they mingle in their depictions of emotion, energy and personality.
1 I split your gaze, 1997; printed 2005 Brook Andrew. National Gallery of Victoria. Purchased with funds from the Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2005. 2 Portrait of Pauline McCarthy Joy Hester. National Gallery of Victoria.
June Sherwood Bequest 2021.
A true artistic likeness can only ever be approximate, and the attempt to accurately depict one’s outer self is only one possibility of portraiture. Beyond this, by teasing out other aspects of the genre, it becomes possible to embrace the complexities and uncover the depths of our inner worlds.
