Portrait Identity - Reflection

After visiting the National Portrait Gallery and discussing the importance of portraits, I thought about how, at this stage in my life, I would not want a portrait commissioned of myself. Portraits have always been recognized for capturing one’s image. They generally are made to remember someone who made a contribution or sacrifice to the world in some way. If a portrait was made of me at this point in my life, I would feel pressure to live up to it. It would be a negative experience for me rather than a positive way to preserve my identity. For instance, I would not want a portrait of myself made, then not fulfill my goals and just be an average person who made no recognized impacts throughout my life. Those who saw my portrait would then possibly have a negative image of who I was seeing as though the portrait was not intended to remember what I did rather than merely what I looked like.

Portraits are planned and usually extensively thought out to determine every detail about the illustration. Because so much goes into each piece of artwork, the subject is usually just as big of a deal as the work itself. In my case, this would not be true. I feel that even if I did grow up to be someone who made a large difference in the world, I would not want to make my image eternal through a painting because to me that feels conceded. Just because someone did something great in their life does not necessarily mean they need to be forever remembered through a portrait. This discussion and visit to the National Portrait Gallery really opened my eyes to art interpretation because I never viewed artwork, even portraits, as representations of one’s identity.