2. Portraiture - in Art, representation of human form
- records outer surface of subject to reveal 'inner quality'
- a tool of discovery and communication
- cultural significance
- technology advances in media practices influencing the
contemporary portrait
Peter Wilkins: 12 Kinetic Portraits
- Peter Wilkins, UK multimedia artist living in Clarke's Beach, NL
- Kinetic Portrait, silent non-manipulated digital video capturing subject in
real time over a 5 min. video loop
- Wilkins interviews subjects, asks to reflect on life and career
accomplishments. Then records portraits, to show subject's true reactions
& facial expressions
- Wilkins' goal is to quot;create a more accurate and convincing portrait of the
sitter...for people to occasionally recognize thoughts, glimses or reactions
of the sitter...the true self of the sitter.quot;
3. The Subjects
-To date, two collections of kinetic portraits consisting of twelve subjects,
all recognizable persons to the public; Newfoundland personalities, Mary
Walsh, Hon. John Crosbie, Craig Dobbin and Canadian writers Margaret
Atwood, Yann Martel.
- wanted audience to re-evaluate perceptions of subjects, see them as everyday,
real people.
Praises & Criticisms
-some believe portraits grounded in Realism, with goal of presenting clear,
rational 'picture' of a person, bringing new insight to observer, a successful
integration of new media forms into traditional portraiture
-others skeptical of Wilkins' motives, why choose celebrities only? To appeal
to public, to bolster the ego of Canada's cultural elite, to depict subject as hero?
Presence of camera may appeals to the performer inside each subject, 'inner
self' is lost
My Opinion
- The Rooms, St. John's, NL, February 2007
- Peter Wilkins: 12 Canadian Writers
- I appreciate an attempt to present subject and his/her actions as the source of
inspiration for art.
What do YOU think?
- Do you think Wilkins' kinetic portrait is successful in using digital video to
capture the 'true self' of a subject, or does this media integration remove the
essence of a subject in contemporary portraiture?
http://www.wilkins.ws/portab.html
