29.7.20 Why self portraits?
‘(F)abrication throughout the novel is the making of an Imaginary Self, an "other one" (Hogle, 1980). Much has been written about ‘otherness’ in Frankenstein. Fiona Sampson, author of a biography of Mary Shelley, says of Frankenstein and his creature ‘they are both aspects of ourselves – all our selves… they both speak to us about being human’ (in Hewitt, 2018). The creator and the created.
Why am I obsessed with making multiple representations of my self? Mini mes? In Shelley’s Frankenstein, the relationship between the creator and the created is key. According to Christian tradition, God made man in his own image ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them’ (Genesis 1:27)
I’m interested that there is quote from Paradise Lost in the epigraph to Frankenstein, where Adam says to God “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay / To mould me man?” (Sampson, 2018). Helen Sampson, biographer of Mary Shelley, goes on to say ‘it is above all the creature’s tragedy – and his humanity – that in his cinematic transformation into a mute but terrifying monster, has been forgotten.’ (2018) I feel as if I am attempting to capture, or maybe remind myself and others, of the tragedy and humanity of otherness.
In a culture of screen based selfies- some snaps taken with a phone, capturing a fleeting moment or memory, others, painstakingly edited to project a carefully curated image – it is possibly curious that I choose to use labour intensive processes to create my self portraits. For me though, somehow, the time taken to make something, the involvement of my hands and body- all of me- and the materials I choose are vital and all bring different subtleties of meaning to my work. Is it about self obsession or self expression? (Google Arts and culture, no date)
Humans have attempted to depict themselves since time began, but it wasn’t until the Renaissance in the 15th Century, with the advent of better and cheaper mirrors, that self portraiture became more popular. It’s an ‘opportunity to capture a version of yourself that no one else sees’ (Google Arts and culture, no date). I don’t ever actually use a mirror in fact. Instead I rely on memory, heavily influenced by imagination. My self portraits are not literal representations of my visible self, but are more like visualisations of parts of my psyche. Frida Kahlo said ‘I paint myself…because I am the subject I know best.’ (ibid.) I think I also endeavour to embody these inner parts of my self in order to know myself better, and also to enable others to know themselves. They are usually a provocation of some sort. Kahlo also included aspects of her psychological, political and philosophical thought in her self portraits (ibid).
My self portraits are also an exploration of my identity. But why do I always feel the need to represent myself through multiples? I know there are a number of reasons for this, but I will deal with them another time.
I am in good company when it comes to obsession with making self portraits. Amongst many, many others, Rembrandt made nearly 100, Van Gogh, about 30 and Sarah Lucas has made 12 in 8 years, so far. Her self portraits ‘explore various aspects of herself and challenge stereotypical ideas of identity’ (Google Arts and culture, no date). I feel that mine do too. Amalia Ullman, an Argentinian artist based in Los Angeles, has taken self portraiture to an extreme, by documenting real time cosmetic surgery on her Instagram account. Although this is obviously extreme, it does allow for self-portraiture as performance, which is definitely an aspect of my practice as well (ibid).
Englebert, H. (2018) ‘The other’ in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Available at: https://www.grin.com/document/457176 (Accessed 25 July 2020)
Genesis 1:27 Holy Bible: New International Version
Google Arts and Culture (no date) How the self portrait evolved into the selfie Available at: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/how-the-self-portrait-evolved-into-the-selfie/8gLCWiSIgsdBLg (Accessed 29 July 2020
Hewitt, R. (2018) In Search of Mary Shelley by Fiona Sampson review – the girl who wrote Frankenstein Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/04/in-search-mary-shelley-fiona-sampson-review (Accessed 25 July 2020)
Hogle, J. (1980) Otherness in Frankenstein: The Confinement/Autonomy of Fabrication Available at: http://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Articles/hogle2.html (Accessed 25 July 2020)
McVeigh, R. (1999) The art of self portraiture Available at: https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/about-us/blog/art-self-portraiture (Accessed 29 July 2020)
Shelley, M (1818) Frankenstein London: Penguin
‘(F)abrication throughout the novel is the making of an Imaginary Self, an "other one" (Hogle, 1980). Much has been written about ‘otherness’ in Frankenstein. Fiona Sampson, author of a biography of Mary Shelley, says of Frankenstein and his creature ‘they are both aspects of ourselves – all our selves… they both speak to us about being human’ (in Hewitt, 2018). The creator and the created.
Why am I obsessed with making multiple representations of my self? Mini mes? In Shelley’s Frankenstein, the relationship between the creator and the created is key. According to Christian tradition, God made man in his own image ‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them’ (Genesis 1:27)
I’m interested that there is quote from Paradise Lost in the epigraph to Frankenstein, where Adam says to God “Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay / To mould me man?” (Sampson, 2018). Helen Sampson, biographer of Mary Shelley, goes on to say ‘it is above all the creature’s tragedy – and his humanity – that in his cinematic transformation into a mute but terrifying monster, has been forgotten.’ (2018) I feel as if I am attempting to capture, or maybe remind myself and others, of the tragedy and humanity of otherness.
In a culture of screen based selfies- some snaps taken with a phone, capturing a fleeting moment or memory, others, painstakingly edited to project a carefully curated image – it is possibly curious that I choose to use labour intensive processes to create my self portraits. For me though, somehow, the time taken to make something, the involvement of my hands and body- all of me- and the materials I choose are vital and all bring different subtleties of meaning to my work. Is it about self obsession or self expression? (Google Arts and culture, no date)
Humans have attempted to depict themselves since time began, but it wasn’t until the Renaissance in the 15th Century, with the advent of better and cheaper mirrors, that self portraiture became more popular. It’s an ‘opportunity to capture a version of yourself that no one else sees’ (Google Arts and culture, no date). I don’t ever actually use a mirror in fact. Instead I rely on memory, heavily influenced by imagination. My self portraits are not literal representations of my visible self, but are more like visualisations of parts of my psyche. Frida Kahlo said ‘I paint myself…because I am the subject I know best.’ (ibid.) I think I also endeavour to embody these inner parts of my self in order to know myself better, and also to enable others to know themselves. They are usually a provocation of some sort. Kahlo also included aspects of her psychological, political and philosophical thought in her self portraits (ibid).
My self portraits are also an exploration of my identity. But why do I always feel the need to represent myself through multiples? I know there are a number of reasons for this, but I will deal with them another time.
I am in good company when it comes to obsession with making self portraits. Amongst many, many others, Rembrandt made nearly 100, Van Gogh, about 30 and Sarah Lucas has made 12 in 8 years, so far. Her self portraits ‘explore various aspects of herself and challenge stereotypical ideas of identity’ (Google Arts and culture, no date). I feel that mine do too. Amalia Ullman, an Argentinian artist based in Los Angeles, has taken self portraiture to an extreme, by documenting real time cosmetic surgery on her Instagram account. Although this is obviously extreme, it does allow for self-portraiture as performance, which is definitely an aspect of my practice as well (ibid).
Englebert, H. (2018) ‘The other’ in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Available at: https://www.grin.com/document/457176 (Accessed 25 July 2020)
Genesis 1:27 Holy Bible: New International Version
Google Arts and Culture (no date) How the self portrait evolved into the selfie Available at: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/how-the-self-portrait-evolved-into-the-selfie/8gLCWiSIgsdBLg (Accessed 29 July 2020
Hewitt, R. (2018) In Search of Mary Shelley by Fiona Sampson review – the girl who wrote Frankenstein Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/jan/04/in-search-mary-shelley-fiona-sampson-review (Accessed 25 July 2020)
Hogle, J. (1980) Otherness in Frankenstein: The Confinement/Autonomy of Fabrication Available at: http://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Articles/hogle2.html (Accessed 25 July 2020)
McVeigh, R. (1999) The art of self portraiture Available at: https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/about-us/blog/art-self-portraiture (Accessed 29 July 2020)
Shelley, M (1818) Frankenstein London: Penguin
