Portraits in the cultural frame

How can portraits reflect the cultural background of the artist and their subject?

Through the cultural frame, art is understood as a way to explore and represent social, economic and political issues that may include: class, race, ethnicity, gender, technology, politics, religion, science, globalisation, the environment, and economics.

Artist

  • Is the artist representing a particular social or cultural group? How is this communicated in their practice?

  • How has the artist explored a specific perspective, point of view, or cultural knowledge in their artmaking?

Artwork

  • How does the artwork reflect, examine or explore social, community and/or cultural interests?

  • What features of the artwork, including signs and symbols, refer to cultural knowledge or social issues?

Audience

  • What social and cultural perspectives might audiences bring to their understanding of the artwork?

  • Could the artwork be interpreted differently by audiences from different backgrounds?

World

  • How have social, community, or cultural issues been represented in the artwork?

  • How has the artist been influenced by their understanding of the world?

Critical and historical studies

Activity - 'Self-portrait with guardian spirits'

Kate Beynon, 'Self-portrait with guardian spirits', 2010.

Acrylic on linen, 170 x 170 cm.

Accessed 9/08/2021.

Kate Beynon is an Australian artist who was born in Hong Kong and migrated to Australia as a young child after living in Singapore, Germany and the UK.

Her artworks, often self-portraits, explore what she describes as 'a hybrid identity and trans-cultural life as a Chinese-Malaysian/Welsh and Australian artist'.

Kate Beynon has used different signs and symbols in this artwork to express aspects of her cultural background and identity. Read the exhibition text about 'Self-portrait with guardian spirits' (date accessed 16/08/2021) from the 2010 Archibald Prize to learn more about the artist's intentions and choices in this artwork, and complete the activities.

Record your responses in a document to share with your teacher.

  • Paste a copy of the artwork image and citation into your document.

  • What does the artist say about the cultural significance of each of these symbols? Write a one-sentence explanation of each of these features.

  • The artist's pose.

  • The large blue and gold dragon.

  • The two green dogs.

  • The artist's green necklace.

  • The title of the artwork 'Self-portrait with guardian spirits'.

  • What aesthetic choices has the artist made to represent these features? How have the artist's stylistic choices helped to communicate cultural meanings?

  • Based on your previous answers, write a paragraph that explains how Kate Beynon has explored and expressed her cultural background in 'Self-portrait with guardian spirits'.

Artmaking

Activity - cultural self-portrait

In this activity, you will create a self portrait that explores aspects of your cultural background and identity.

  • Start by brainstorming what 'culture' means to you. Think about your beliefs and values, your family background, your local community, any other places you might have lived previously, and any social groups or community organisations you belong to.

  • Make a list of 5 features you can include in your self-portrait to represent your understanding of culture. How will you represent these visually? Think about things like your clothing and accessories, props, or surreal/fantasy elements you could include in the background of your work, as in Kate Beynon's 'Self-portrait with guardian spirits'.

For each listed feature, write a one-sentence explanation of how it relates to your understanding of culture.

  • Create your self-portrait using the materials you have available. Think about how your material choices, techniques and actions might change the impact or meaning of your artwork.

Some options might include:

    • a detailed pencil or pen drawing

    • a two-dimensional mixed media artwork that could include elements of drawing, painting, and collage using found images and materials

    • a carefully staged digital photograph of your subject

    • a digital drawing based on a photograph, using the steps suggested in the first lesson in this module

    • a modified digital photograph that uses Photoshop or another image editor to add symbolic details into the composition. See the Photoshop tutorials on making complex selections and combining multiple images for guidance.

  • Give your portrait a descriptive title, and share your completed artwork with your teacher.

References and images