Dec 08 2009
“Please Remind Me of Who I Am”
This exhibit consisted of a large cluster of black and white portraits or real ordinary people paired with a number of abstract ink paintings. The pictures along with the abstract paintings served the purpose of highlighting the process of circle of life. I felt that the abstract drawings were trying to portray the loss of self identity or self worth in the lives of the people depicted in the portraits. It’s as if they are losing their direction in life with the passing of time – hence the title “Please Remind Me of Who I Am. The juxtaposition of the portraits and the drawings indicate the gradual move from a confident self-assured state to an abstract and confused. Further the use of normal people in the portraits and the large numbers of varied, small portraits used for the exhibit symbolize the universality of this theme.
Weren’t these photographs collected by the artist without the consent of those pictured?
I thought there was so much in there about identitiy, especially the film on the men with nice clothes. I would have never believed that men can be so vain if I didn’t see that.