Research Point - Artists Self Portraits 

Tracy Emin - 'The last great adventure is you' Exhibit 2014

"The work is about rights of passage, of time and age, and the simple realisation we are always alone". - Emin. 

'Good Red Love'  Gouache on canvas -2014

'You Never Said Goodbye' Embroidered Calico - 2014 

'Strong Distance' Gouache on canvas - 2013 

Emin explores herself so deeply and expressively, seemingly without inhibition. Her lines are bold and confident and even though she draws the figure so confidently and without a face, I can feel her energy and presence. 

Emin is known for her continuous exploration of herself, however these drawings alone show so much honesty and feeling. They are exciting drawings, they pull me in and offer so much of her as a person. Emin describes art as a cathartic act. 

'The Memory of Tears' Acrylic on canvas - 2018 

How do contemporary artists approach tone, medium, pose and story? 

This painting was included in Emin's exhibition 'A fortnight of Tears' at The White Cube gallery and I have included this as I feel it answers this question. 

I see a large sheet of white paper, half filled, but actually without a feeling of emptiness on the page. A dark cloud looms above her head and tears stream down the page. The marks are large, adding interest and animation to the page. The precision is in the emotion. The page is filled with emotion in fact and a connection is instantly made between me the viewer, and Emin on this page. Such honesty on paper.  

The tones Emin uses are also colours that relate to emotion, blood red, greys and indigo. Everything is an emotion on the page. Powerful work. 

Here Emin has approached her artwork with complete honestly and a raw portrayal of everything she is. Her experiences in life exude throughout her work and there is little left to wonder. I made a note of Emin's quote about being alone at the top of this blogpost as I think they describe this collection of work to perfectly. Being alone is the very essence of meaning behind every drawing. 

Emin's artwork comes from within her body of emotions, not a physical application and so her tones and bush marks are wild and free. There are no boundaries in the marks that she makes. Just honest expression. She is fearless to judgement, seemingly only determined to be true to herself. 

Emin's body of work here is in complete contrast to the more formal portraits I have observed so far from traditional artists such as Rembrandt who I will look closely at later on in this post.

Lucien Freud

'Reflection with Two Children (Self Portrait) Oil on canvas - 1965

This is such an interesting angle for a painting. Freud is looking at himself looking down into a mirror and has painted his reflection. His body is twisted and his face at an angle, captured so realistically with the paint. The muscle formation on the face is evidence along with the concentration on the narrow eyes as he studies himself. Light can clearly and brightly be seen bouncing off his face. 

The lampshade adds not only a sense of space and location but also adds interest to the page. 

Frida Kahlo 

'Self portrait with Monkey' - 1938

Self portraits were Kahlo's signature style, her most successful expression and to some point, her identity. 

In many of her self portraits, her face is expressionless. The talking of the painting almost comes from the components she surrounds herself within the portrait - The colours, the animals such as a monkey above, the accessories, the landscape she places herself within such as the leaves above, a jungle scene. 

Despite Kahlo's expressionless face, she shows such beauty and in equal measure a spirit. I find her expression to show strength and presence. A woman who endured so much physical pain in her life must have had an abundance of strength. 

Kahlo's presentation is immaculate and the paintings are always so stylish. perhaps portraying her fascination with identity, almost a modern day Instagram post. She has also captured a timeless feel to her work, fashionable throughout the ages. 

Henri Matisse 

'Self Portrait in a Striped T Shirt' Oil on canvas - 1906

Here Matisse appears to be leaning back on a chair, looking straight at the viewer. The T shirt is significant in this painting as it presents Matisse as an ordinary person like you and I and in no way, an artist. This choice of clothing I think is significant in creating a connection with the viewer - He is relaxed, casual and engaged. In many ways the striped T shirt is of equal importance to the head itself, a 50/50 split of significance on the page. 

Kathe Kollwitz 

'Self Portrait with Hand on the Forehead' Etching and drypoint - 1910

I find the lines in this portrait fascinating, they almost circle the head rather than create it. The lines flow and become the energy of Kollwitz. The lines at first glance appeared  unfinished, however looking again I see that by leaving areas on the hand and the forehead untouched by the lines actually created light.  

Rembrandt 

'Self Portrait' Oil on canvas - 1660 

Rembrandt painted approximately 40 self portraits in his life time, covering his youth to his again appearance. In this self portrait Rembrandt is 54. Hats and berets feature in many of his portraits. 

Rembrandt catalogued his years almost like photographs. In this painting he does not shy away from the aging process, rather embraces it with the paint, each wrinkle is lined in here with precision. The greying his curly hair billows around his beret. 

References: 

https://art-matisse.com/1900_54.html

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437397

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/352210

https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/frida-kahlo