Contemporary Portraiture in Australia: 1990s to 2010s
Abstract
Contemporary portraiture in Australia is undergoing a
revolutionary change in response to the growth of new media,
digital imaging and the proliferation of selfies in the
networked-digital age. While the effects of new technologies on
portraiture are undeniable, this thesis argues contemporary
portraiture from the 1990s to 2010s is a synthesis of both
traditional modes of representation and new art forms that is
expanding our understanding of what is a portrait. Some
contemporary portraits have vestiges of Western historic
portraiture conventions—mimesis, physiognomy and
authenticity—while in others the links have become fragile and
contestable. This thesis analyses how contemporary portraiture
extends beyond established portraiture traditions to create
alternate forms of representation in new and unexpected ways. The
study shows contemporary portraiture is becoming increasingly
ambiguous and fragmented in form, style, and subject matter.
Particular attention is paid to how the desire for social
connectedness, that is, being linked up to social media and
linked in to internet sites, and the need to take selfies on
hand-held devices is redefining portraiture. Furthermore, it
examines how the contemporary portrait contributes to changing
perceptions of Australian society, national and cultural
identity, and ideas of selfhood. It also analyses how new media
is disrupting conventional ways of curating and presenting
portraits in the gallery setting offering unparalleled
opportunities for visitor engagement by presenting portraits on
and off the walls. An important distinction made in this thesis,
is the significance of portraits of country that gives rise to an
alternative concept of subjectivity as a visual and spiritual
marker of Indigenous cultural identity. When considered in this
way, Indigenous portraits of country go beyond the Western
concept of individual difference that allows for a more expansive
meaning of portraiture. The outcome of this research study is a
body of knowledge and scholarly discourse on recent developments
in contemporary portraiture and visual culture brought about by a
significant gap in knowledge of the subject.
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