Portraits in the postmodern frame

How do artists challenge artmaking traditions to make unconventional portraits?

Through the postmodern frame, the meaning of art is understood in relation to the complex, changing nature of contemporary life. Artists may use new technologies and experimental artmaking practices. They communicate meaning through techniques like appropriation and intertextuality, humour, parody, satire and irony.

Artist

  • How has the artist used experimental or innovative practices to explore new ideas?

  • How has the artist challenged mainstream or traditional ideas?

Artwork

  • How does this artwork break, challenge, or re-interpret any artmaking rules, traditions or conventions?

  • Does this artwork use any new or innovative technologies? How does this impact the work’s meaning?

Audience

  • Has the artwork inspired debate or controversy? How have art critics or historians interpreted it?

  • How might different audiences react to this artwork? Does it challenge their ideas about portraiture?

World

  • Have existing or historical artworks been referenced, re-interpreted, or appropriated? How does this create new meaning?

  • What power relationships are challenged and exposed in the world and/or artworld?

Critical and historical studies

Activity - portraits that bend the rules

Some artists make artworks that are representations of people, but push the boundaries of what might be considered 'portraiture'. What can we learn from artists that challenge the rules of portraiture in this way?

Refer to the three artworks below, and answer the questions. Record your responses in a document to share with your teacher.

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

  • Do you think this artwork counts as a portrait? Why or why not?

  • Does this artwork represent a person? Who is the subject and what can we learn about them?

  • How has this artist challenged traditions and conventions of portraiture?

Tony Albert, 'Self-portrait (ash on me)', 2017.

Acrylic on linen, 102 x 102 cm.

Date accessed 13/08/2021.

Michael Zavros, 'Ars longa, vita brevis', 2009.

Oil on canvas 210 x 167 cm.

Date accessed 12/08/2021.

Marcus Wills, 'The Paul Juraszek monolith (after Marcus Gheeraerts)', 2006.

Oil on linen, 265 x 195cm.

Date accessed 13/08/2021.

Critical and historical studies

Activity - a portrait without a portrait?

Hong Hao, 'Book-Keeping of 07 B', 2008.

Digital print, 120 x 216 cm.

Date accessed 03/08/2021.

Hong Hao is a contemporary Chinese artist, based in Beijing. He is known for his photographic artworks from the series 'My Things', a project he has worked on since 2001. The artist captures images of his possessions with a scanner and arranges them into large compositions, tightly packed with hundreds of everyday objects.

Curator Angela Li describes Hong Hao's work:

"My Things (2001-present), [is] a series of photographic prints of his seemingly unquantifiable possessions. Collaged into mesmerizingly detailed, formally and chromatically sophisticated compositions, these images of Hong’s “things” are portraits of the artist himself and of the communist-capitalist society he so effectively critiques in all of his work."

Text from Contemporary By Angela Li | Hong Hao (cbal.com.hk), date accessed 3/08/2021.

Refer to the artwork image and text above to learn about Hong Hao's artmaking practice, and then complete the following activities. Record your responses in a document to share with your teacher.

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

  • Read the quote from Angela Li (above) and find the definitions of any unfamiliar or technical words.

  • Do you think this artwork qualifies as a portrait? Explain your answer.

  • Identify at least 5 objects shown in Hong Hao's artwork 'Book-Keeping of 07 B'. What do these objects tell us about the artist? What do you think he is trying to communicate in this artwork?

Artmaking

Activity - a portrait in objects

In this activity you will make an unconventional portrait using found objects to represent yourself.

  • Select at least 10 objects from around your home that you could combine to make an unconventional self-portrait artwork. Try to include some objects that are sentimental or meaningful, as well as some objects that are mundane or everyday.

  • Make a list of your objects. Write a one-sentence summary that describes what the object is, and what it means to you or what it might say about you.

  • Arrange your objects onto a plain background to take a photograph. Try not to leave large gaps between your objects, and make sure that you have good lighting so that all your objects are clearly visible. Take your photograph from an aerial perspective, directly over the objects. Make sure your shadow isn't in the photograph!

  • Give your photograph an interesting title, and save it in your document to share with your teacher.

Think about how you could extend this idea. Look at these two paintings by Australian artist Tim Storrier:

Both of these paintings are self-portraits which don't actually show the artist. How could you adapt this idea?

  • Add some items of clothing to your collection of objects from the last activity. Include enough for a full outfit, including accessories like a hat and glasses. Write a one-sentence summary that describes each piece of clothing, and what it means to you or what it might say about you.

  • Arrange your outfit to create another photograph. You could lay out the clothes on a flat surface and photograph them from above, or get creative and arrange the outfit to resemble a sitting or standing person. Try to include objects from your previous photograph.

  • Give your photograph an interesting title, and save it in your document to share with your teacher.

References and images