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About Face: Portraiture as Subject

Presented by The Blanton Museum of Art at The Blanton Museum of Art

April 30-September 4, 2011

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A unique exhibition organized by The Blanton, About Face: Portraiture as Subject features
35 portraits in diverse mediums from antiquity to today. Drawn mostly from The Blanton’s notable collection, along with several choice loaned objects, the exhibition includes works by artists known for their probing investigations of the genre, such as Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, John Singer Sargent, Diego Rivera, Sir Jacob Epstein, Antonio Berni, Alice Neel, Chuck Close, Robert Henri, Andy Warhol, Yasumasa Morimura, Charles Umlauf, Oscar Muñoz, and Kehinde Wiley.

• At-a-
  Glance

  • Venue Info

    The Blanton Museum of Art

    MLK at Congress
    Austin, TX 78701

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets:

    Blanton Members and UT Staff & Students FREE Adults $9 Seniors (65+) $7 College students with valid ID $5 Youth (13 - 21) $5 Children 12 & under FREE

  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    April 30-September 4, 2011

    Times:
    

    Tues-Fri 10am-5pm (Thurs open till 9pm.) Sat 11am-5pm Sun 1pm-5pm

    
    

     

  • Accessibility Info

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    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

  • Member Reviews

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    • Event Name: About Face: Portraiture as Subject
      "Face-inating, Fun Frippery"
      Review posted by: Preston Kirk from Spicewood (Austin) TX, USA, Jun 04, 2011
      

      O.K. First, the eyes DO NOT follow you around the room. Or do they? Blanton’s vaults yielded a smorgasbord of portraits, iconic images by leading artists spanning six centuries, with one exception.... Expand

      O.K. First, the eyes DO NOT follow you around the room. Or do they? Blanton’s vaults yielded a smorgasbord of portraits, iconic images by leading artists spanning six centuries, with one exception. (See exhibit squib this page for the impressive list.) The intimate groupings reinforce the contrasting views of the artists and their approaches to revealing what’s psychologically relevant about each person portrayed...or, perhaps, about the artist? Both famous persons and unknowns are depicted doing what they do, being adored (or studied) from near and afar. Siqueiros’ painting of pianist Gershwin in concert is a fine example. Beyond conveying social position and flattering likenesses, portraiture is about self-appraisal. With the artist/sculptor’s skills, a talented notion of the essential self emerges. Did the subject really approve? Improve your visit: Download the show’s audio tours & transcriptions – Eng. & Span. – at www.blantonmuseum.org/aboutface BEFORE going. Profilers welcome. Collapse

    • Event Name: About Face: Portraiture as Subject
      "An Interesting Concept"
      Review posted by: Ronda Dale Kirk from Spicewood (Austin) TX, USA, Jun 04, 2011
      

      40 portraits, various mediums, wide-ranging time periods, mainly from the Blanton’s own collection are displayed. Very diverse choices, from an ancient Roman bust of Marcus Aurelius to a Warhol... Expand

      40 portraits, various mediums, wide-ranging time periods, mainly from the Blanton’s own collection are displayed. Very diverse choices, from an ancient Roman bust of Marcus Aurelius to a Warhol painting and Umlauf sculpture of Farrah Fawcett’s face. There’s something for every patron to enjoy or at least examine & discuss: A “video portrait;” a grouping of small canvases of skin tone colors (not exactly my personal definition of portraiture; contemporary pieces like the encased figure of “Patrick,” whose surface consists of body part photos by artist Oliver Herring. Definitely thought-provoking. Specifically for B Scene, several models were cleverly dressed by Austin stylists to resemble subjects in the portraits. Very engaging. “About Face” info invites visitors viewing the art to ask questions: “Who are these persons?” “What do the artists want us to know about them?” Take the free cell phone audio tour or spring for an audio wand to help find the answers. The exhibit closes Sept. 4 Collapse

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    Currently, additional images/videos have not been submitted for this event.

• Member
  Reviews

  • Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: About Face: Portraiture as Subject
      "Face-inating, Fun Frippery"
      Review posted by: Preston Kirk from Spicewood (Austin) TX, USA, Jun 04, 2011
      

      O.K. First, the eyes DO NOT follow you around the room. Or do they? Blanton’s vaults yielded a smorgasbord of portraits, iconic images by leading artists spanning six centuries, with one exception.... Expand

      O.K. First, the eyes DO NOT follow you around the room. Or do they? Blanton’s vaults yielded a smorgasbord of portraits, iconic images by leading artists spanning six centuries, with one exception. (See exhibit squib this page for the impressive list.) The intimate groupings reinforce the contrasting views of the artists and their approaches to revealing what’s psychologically relevant about each person portrayed...or, perhaps, about the artist? Both famous persons and unknowns are depicted doing what they do, being adored (or studied) from near and afar. Siqueiros’ painting of pianist Gershwin in concert is a fine example. Beyond conveying social position and flattering likenesses, portraiture is about self-appraisal. With the artist/sculptor’s skills, a talented notion of the essential self emerges. Did the subject really approve? Improve your visit: Download the show’s audio tours & transcriptions – Eng. & Span. – at www.blantonmuseum.org/aboutface BEFORE going. Profilers welcome. Collapse

    • Event Name: About Face: Portraiture as Subject
      "An Interesting Concept"
      Review posted by: Ronda Dale Kirk from Spicewood (Austin) TX, USA, Jun 04, 2011
      

      40 portraits, various mediums, wide-ranging time periods, mainly from the Blanton’s own collection are displayed. Very diverse choices, from an ancient Roman bust of Marcus Aurelius to a Warhol... Expand

      40 portraits, various mediums, wide-ranging time periods, mainly from the Blanton’s own collection are displayed. Very diverse choices, from an ancient Roman bust of Marcus Aurelius to a Warhol painting and Umlauf sculpture of Farrah Fawcett’s face. There’s something for every patron to enjoy or at least examine & discuss: A “video portrait;” a grouping of small canvases of skin tone colors (not exactly my personal definition of portraiture; contemporary pieces like the encased figure of “Patrick,” whose surface consists of body part photos by artist Oliver Herring. Definitely thought-provoking. Specifically for B Scene, several models were cleverly dressed by Austin stylists to resemble subjects in the portraits. Very engaging. “About Face” info invites visitors viewing the art to ask questions: “Who are these persons?” “What do the artists want us to know about them?” Take the free cell phone audio tour or spring for an audio wand to help find the answers. The exhibit closes Sept. 4 Collapse

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