What do you think of when you think of a portrait?
“When one thinks of portraiture, what often comes to mind might be slick, flattering oil paintings or a photograph of a person’s face frozen in time,” said Kris E. Ludwig, curator of art for the Springfield Museums.
If that’s the case, there’s an exhibit that might change the way you think of portraits.
“The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today” is on exhibit until May 5 at the D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts.
“This exhibition reflects the state of contemporary artmaking in which the artists represented often push the boundaries of that traditional approach through creative use of materials and techniques and expand on the idea of what portraiture can be,” Ludwig said.
Launched in 2006 to support contemporary portraiture in the United States, the National Portrait Gallery’s celebrated triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition winters are on display. A major survey of the best American portraits, selected by internationally prominent jurors and curators, “The Outwin 2022: American Portraiture Today” presents 42 works selected from more than 2,700 entries, that foreground the vibrancy and relevance of portraiture today.
“This important show offers a stage for both emerging and established artists to explore contemporary issues through varied approaches to portraiture, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, time-based media, textiles and performance art,” commented Heather R. Haskell, vice president and director of the art museums.
“Because all the artwork has been created after 2019, the Outwin is a unique exhibition in that it is truly a snapshot of portraiture today. We are presented with portraits that not only comment on people’s history, culture and internal lives but also the reality that these are lives that we share together as a people,” Ludwig said. “Often times, we are transported to shared experiences, for example, that of COVID-19 lockdowns. In Rania Matar’s photograph, Minty, Kayla, and Layla, Cambridge, Massachusetts, the subjects are seen framed in their window as viewed from the street. Their expressions are a reflection of the loneliness, boredom, frustration and uncertainty of the moment. Yet, the portrait also highlights the need for togetherness.”
In addition to paintings, photographs, drawings and sculptures, The Outwin includes video, performance art and textiles, highlighting the limitless possibilities of contemporary portraiture.
Open to both emerging and established artists, the 2022 entrants were encouraged to submit work that moved beyond traditional definitions of portraiture and engage with the social and political landscape of the time.
“The portraits provide insight into a variety of social and political landscapes, some of which are hinted at already, relating to the discovery of self in this world shifting with technology and time,” Ludwig said. Several works deal with race, identity, origins, and connections to the cultures of our elders or ancestors.
Inga Guzyte’s portrait “Cutting Edge” is constructed from layered pieces of sawn and reassembled skateboards, imbuing its subject with the independent fearlessness associated with skateboard culture.
Using another unusual medium, TR Erickson’s portrait of his mother, “Bride,” was drawn from her wedding photo and recreated using nicotine on a white panel. Ludwig noted that many can relate to the lingering nature of cigarette smoke’s odor, its ability to evoke a strong scent memory and the indelible marks it leaves on a smoker’s spaces.
“One would be hard-pressed to find a similar exhibition presenting such a timely survey of some of the best American portraiture in this moment,” she said. “The Outwin is unique in its mission and in the quality and variety of artists it attracts from across the county.”
The triennial Outwin Boucher Portrait Competition results in an exhibition that is first displayed at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
“The exhibition presents a remarkably diverse and fascinating take on portraiture in America. The stories behind each piece and the incredible quality of the work are worth experiencing,” Ludwig said. “While each piece stands strongly on its own, taken together, the exhibition powerfully represents the human experience.”
For more information, visit the Springfield Museums’ website.