self portrait
Posted on Jan 8th, 2007
by 
antenna
antenna
The teenagers I work with started self portraits today. They are so ready to look right at themselves- more solidly here than they have ever been- even the dreamers.
It's tricky business, though, facing yourself. I had a feeling they'd get giddy and they did. Almost disbelievingly, they drew- giggle and burble all the way. Chatter. Twitter.
More questions than I expected- earnest questions, anxious questions, "What if...?" "But how will...?" And, of course, the inevitable few wisecracks about ninjas (don't ask me why they think that's so funny, but they do). Nothing like a well-placed ninja joke to blow off steam.
Blind contour studies blew their minds- connecting eye and hand bypassing judgement- inconceivable. Some couldn't even fathom. The idea of 'process, not product' so fundamental to the way they've been taught all these years, was not quite within their reach.
The final step of the day- a ten-minute sketch looking into the mirror was almost more than they could bear. I'm glad we have time to work up to longer sittings-we'll need it. Watching those graphite faces appear on the pages was pretty exciting- some so clearly who sat there drawing, some merely shortcut versions of who they really are.
How long can you stand to look at yourself- even if you are ready? How boldly can you mark your form on the page? How confidently can you call what you have made a true representation of yourself? And how much of this can you stand before you have to start dropping pencils and singing Weird Al songs?
It takes a lot of ninja humor to balance out a self portrait.
It's tricky business, though, facing yourself. I had a feeling they'd get giddy and they did. Almost disbelievingly, they drew- giggle and burble all the way. Chatter. Twitter.
More questions than I expected- earnest questions, anxious questions, "What if...?" "But how will...?" And, of course, the inevitable few wisecracks about ninjas (don't ask me why they think that's so funny, but they do). Nothing like a well-placed ninja joke to blow off steam.
Blind contour studies blew their minds- connecting eye and hand bypassing judgement- inconceivable. Some couldn't even fathom. The idea of 'process, not product' so fundamental to the way they've been taught all these years, was not quite within their reach.
The final step of the day- a ten-minute sketch looking into the mirror was almost more than they could bear. I'm glad we have time to work up to longer sittings-we'll need it. Watching those graphite faces appear on the pages was pretty exciting- some so clearly who sat there drawing, some merely shortcut versions of who they really are.
How long can you stand to look at yourself- even if you are ready? How boldly can you mark your form on the page? How confidently can you call what you have made a true representation of yourself? And how much of this can you stand before you have to start dropping pencils and singing Weird Al songs?
It takes a lot of ninja humor to balance out a self portrait.
Access: Public
art
August 2007 