Entering the exhibition you are met by an open room with its
walls covered in a scattering of artworks of different sizes and
dimensions. Most notably, they are presented in numerous different
frames ranging from ornate and golden to simple wood to none at all,
giving an instant insight into the variety of art displayed. There are
also a handful of pedestals for statues and sculptures.
This exhibition presents an artistic fascination with people, and
‘invites visitors to think about the complexities of portraiture.’ It
is a collection of portraits spanning different times, cultures,
mediums, artists and, most crucially, sitters. The creation of such a
diverse exhibition which exclusively displays portraits shows
audiences the breadth of the artform.
One of the most interesting aspects of this exhibition is how the
artworks are grouped. They are not sorted by time period, style or
cultural origin. Some parts of the exhibition seem to be loosely
grouped as there are clear sections on working class people,
reflections on death and self-portraits. Other groups of artworks seem
completely random. This layout leads to simple sketches placed next to
fine art portraits next to photography next to a super-sized
California driving license.
It is the proximity and collection of this variety of mediums,
styles and subjects that is the real strength of this exhibition. It
allows the audience to ask questions about portraiture that they may
not have considered otherwise. We are made to wonder about the
different emotions depicted, why the artists chose the subjects they
did and what they aimed to portray about the people in their
portraits. When we look at artistic studies and simple sketches in the
same exhibition as carefully detailed royal portraits, we can better
appreciate the variety of purposes of portraiture, and the contrasting
intentions of artists and sitters. A similar effect is achieved by the
juxtaposition of art depicting upper class and working class people
respectively.
However, I found the cluster of self-portraits by far the most
interesting part of the exhibition. From such a seemingly simple thing
as drawing oneself emerges a large variety of style, emotion and
composition that speaks directly to how the artists view and wish to
present themselves. It is this that I believe most effectively
displays the emotion, intention and variety of portraiture.
Rating: ★★★★☆
