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Contemporary Portraiture in Australia: 1990s to 2010s

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Royston, Penelope Ann

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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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