Michele StuevenPersona: Exploring Self-Portraiture will premiere at the Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale on Saturday, April 26. It will feature the work of more than 20 contemporary artists as well as historical self-portraits spanning over 125 years.
The exhibition covers the expanses of self-portraiture and examines the concept of visual representations of the self. Persona features paintings, sculptures, photographs, prints, fused glass, digital art, textile art, illustrations, and more.
The practice of the selfie dates back more than 150 years. Nearly two dozen works from the Sedlik Collection of early self-portrait photography provide a glimpse into the human condition during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Made by professional and amateur photographers throughout the world, the fascinating images offer glimpses into artistic explorations, self-memorialization, and early photographic technology.
The exhibit will feature work by Man Ray (1890-1976), who was an influential figure in both the Dada and Surrealist movements, and Andy Warhol (1928-1987), who was among the most prolific and iconic artists in the pop art movement. Throughout their long and varied careers, both artists experimented with ideas of self-perception and self-presentation, which influenced subsequent generations of artists.
Ramona Rosales, DAY 69, 2020. Digital photograph (archival pigment print) Courtesy of the artist.
An entire gallery is devoted to self-portraits of contemporary artists working in a variety of styles and formats and expressing the aspects of self. These range from Christen Austin’s series of introspective paintings to Bryan Ida’s politically-charged ink-on-panel image, rendered in hand-written text taken directly from the Immigration Act of 1924, which excluded all Asians from immigration in the United States.
Persona will also include three paintings by artist, actor, comedian, and musician Tom Wilson, who depicted himself as the fictional characters he portrayed in the Back to the Future film trilogy using the visual language of pop art to explore ideas of fame, identity, and commodification.
The largest body of work comes from photographer Ramona Rosales. Known for her celebrity portraits, Rosales is fascinated by color and light experimentation, often using unorthodox analog and digital tools to make her images. There will be 18 photos from her “75 Days” series, which she undertook during the COVID-19 lockdown. What began as a personal challenge to test techniques she would typically execute with her team evolved into a self-portrait series. Using herself as a model and only what she had on hand at home, she created an exploratory series that stands as a personal document of a momentous time.
The exhibition also includes the work of Alison Blickle, Brad Donenfeld, Shivy Galtere, Andy Gersh, Patrick Hruby, Janna Ireland, Maren H. Jensen, Jordan Kay, Ruthy Kim, Michelle Kingdom, Huntz Liu, Eric Merrell, Elizabeth Pollnow, Narcissus Quagliata, Semra Sevin, Christopher Slatoff, Jawsh Smyth, and Mika Yokota.
“With a self-portrait, an artist presents a tactile depiction of the self directly to the viewer, forging an intimate and personal connection,” James Fishburne, PhD, Director of Forest Lawn Museum said in a press release. “Yet these artworks go beyond traditional self-reflection. Whether through their use of unorthodox materials or by way of distorted imagery, the artists subvert the very notion of depicting the physical self in favor of presenting the inner self.”
Christen Austin, Musical Bloom, 2020. Acrylic on wood panel, Courtesy of the artist.
The exhibition will run through Sunday, August 10. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, April 26, at the museum that will feature live music by the Pocket Quintet and complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The free, family-friendly event includes free parking, and is open to the public, ADA compliant, and wheelchair accessible. Guests are invited to RSVP at [email protected] or call 323-340-4782.
Forest Lawn Museum’s front gallery features a new exhibition drawn from the museum’s permanent collection. Meet the Master: Michelangelo at Forest Lawn includes paintings, archival photographs, mosaics, and sculptures. It examines how re-creations of the artist’s work have shaped Forest Lawn for more than a century.