photo self portraits

Loren MadsenFall, 2010

artist unknownKarma’s Payment

Bruce NaumanSelf-Portrait as a Fountain. 1966–67

Bruce NaumanFeet of Clay. 1966–67

Dennis OppenheimParallel Stress. 1970

Eleanor Antin. Carving, A Traditional Sculpture. 1972

Gilbert & GeorgeGreat Expectations. 1972

Hannah WilkeStarification Object Series. 1974–82

Joseph BeuysIphigenia/Titus Andronicus. 1984

Laurie SimmonsPink & Yellow, 2009

Laurie SimmonsModern Office, 1998

Laurie Simmons, The Boxes, 2005

Robert Morris. I-Box. 1962

Robert Frank, a then-new immigrant to America from Switzerland, got a camera and traveled the US in the early

1950s. He left us a portrait of ourselves.

Other have followed in Frank’s footsteps, leaving us views of their neighborhoods, neighbors, activities and, thereby of

themselves and ultimately, again, of us.

In photographic portraits of others the photographer can, and does, reveal them self.

That kind of self-revelation becomes especially poignant, and fraught with issues of voyeurism and invasion of privacy when

the photos are of family.

Photographs of friends, colleagues and one’s social group can be especially revealing.

Creation of an imaginary world or reality can be a fairy tale, or an open exposure of dreams and desires.

Fantasy portraits, with self as subject. We all periodically try on the persona of others, but some artists do it very explicitly.

Self-portraiture can go from the ordinary to the extreme.

The assignment...