The University of Pittsburgh Museum Studies Exhibition seminar class, taught by Janet McCall, executive director of the Society of Contemporary Craft, will host an opening reception free to the public for its exhibition, Face Value: (De)constructing Identity in Portraiture on Monday, Nov. 5 in the University Art Gallery from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. The reception will feature informal talks by University students and artists.
Portraits have historically been used as a tool to display oneself. Selected pieces from the University Art Gallery’s collection illustrate the construction of identity in the visual arts through gender, social status, physical appearance, family legacy and more. The works reveal how the introduction of new artists, mediums, and technology pushed portraiture to evolve new forms of expression.
The growth of diversity and individuality have led to innovative expressions of identity in both art and culture. Social media and digital technologies have made portraiture instantaneous and nearly universally accessible. This has affected the way we perceive self-representation. An interactive aspect of Face Value: (De)constructing Identity in Portraiture will deal with how we take on the role of the artist in our everyday lives.
Mark Perrott, Zsuzsi Matolcsy, Dylan Vitone, and other local artists will offer contemporary perspectives on portraiture through examples of self-portraits and portrayal of other individuals. Their works encompass an array of mediums, from traditionally rooted painting to digital photography. This exhibit evaluates the role of identity in portraiture and offers viewers a new outlook on self representation in art and society.
Exhibition hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibition is open through November 30th.
For more information, contact Isabelle Chartier at uag@pitt.edu or call 412-648-2423.